NAIROBI — Kenya reported Sunday that the death toll from weeks of rains and floods rose to 228, warning of no relief.
While Kenya and neighboring Tanzania escaped major damage from a tropical cyclone that weakened after making landfall on Saturday, the government in Nairobi said the country continued to endure torrential downpours and the risk of further floods and landslides.
Early Sunday, the River Nyando burst its banks in western Kenya, engulfing Ahero in Kisumu County, including a police station, school, hospital, and market.
Local police reported no immediate casualties but warned of rising water levels. The main bridge outside Kisumu on the highway to Nairobi submerged.
Heavier-than-usual seasonal rains, combined with the El Nino weather pattern, caused chaos in East Africa. The region, highly vulnerable to climate change, suffered immensely.
Floods and mudslides have claimed over 400 lives and displaced hundreds of thousands across multiple nations. Homes, roads, and bridges have been inundated, exacerbating the crisis.
“It’s a serious situation and we should not take it lightly,” Kenyan government spokesman Isaac Mwaura said at a briefing on the crisis on Sunday.
Although the road to recovery will be arduous, concerted efforts from all stakeholders are necessary. They must rebuild lives and communities devastated by the Kenya Floods Death Toll.
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