Kenya flood death toll rises to 15

Fifteen people have lost their lives in Kenya as floods swept away scores of houses and devastated farmland following torrential rains.

The Kenya Red Cross disclosed this on Monday, on X, formerly Twitter.

It said heavy rainfall pounded the country, particularly the bone-dry north, in recent days, and sent water gushing into homes and submerging roads, with similar scenes playing out across other parts of East Africa.

“As of yesterday, 15,264 households have been affected, with 15 casualties reported. More than 1,000 livestock have died while at least 240 acres (97 hectares) of agricultural farmland have been destroyed,” the Kenya Red Cross said.

In October, the United Nations Humanitarian Agency predicted that Eastern Africa would likely encounter heavier than normal rains over the October-December period due to the El Nino phenomenon.

Also, Kenya’s Meteorological Department warned last week that the heavy rains were “likely to be accompanied by gusty winds”.

Images broadcast on local media have shown flood waters inundating entire villages and sending residents fleeing for higher ground.

Footage showed a civilian chopper rescuing people from a lorry marooned in Samburu county, some 300 kilometres (190 miles) north of the capital Nairobi.

El Nino is a naturally occurring weather pattern associated with increased heat worldwide, as well as drought in some parts of the world and heavy rains elsewhere.

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Since the start of the current rainy season, more than 20 people have died and over 12,000 others have been forced out of their homes in Ethiopia’s Somali region due to flash flooding.

“At least 47,100 people have relocated to higher grounds.

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The regions most vulnerable to climate change, and extreme weather events are occurring with increased frequency and intensity, National Daily Newspaper gathered.