By Wanja Mwaniki & Bernard Gitau
UPDATED:
The devastating impact of ongoing rains in Kenya continues to reverberate as tragedy struck early Monday morning, with more than 40 lives lost after storm water blew through a clogged tunnel under the railway. The tunnel the drains a deep gully at the railway line passing, breached its at 4 am, unleashing a torrent that swept away tens of homes in neighboring areas such as Ruiru, Kamuchiri, and Geogious.
Authorities, grappling with the aftermath, revised the death toll to 40, as 30 additional bodies were recovered from the debris of houses consumed by the floodwaters. Among the rescued, who are now receiving treatment in various hospitals across Naivasha sub-county, 17 are minors, according to Naivasha police commander Stephen Kirui, who underscored the ongoing search and rescue operations.
Kirui remarked, “We have recovered 42 bodies and many people are missing. It is a disaster.”
The valiant efforts of Kenya Red Cross volunteers and the Nakuru County Disaster Management team saw over 100 individuals rescued from beneath the mud, yet fears linger for many still trapped. Along the Nairobi-Mai Mahiu road, motorists found themselves at the mercy of the deluge, with five vehicles ensnared in the mire.
Edited by Neville Ng’ambwa
