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| An aerial view of kijabe area |
Kenya Red Cross has issued a potential hazard alert following accumulation of water at Old Kijabe railway tunnel in Mai Mahiu in Nakuru county.
The town in Nakuru county is yet to come to terms with Monday morning flooding tragedy that has so far claimed 52 lives.
Five villages were swept away by flash floods triggered by a clogged railway tunnel.
51 individuals, including children, were still missing, with fears that they could be buried under the muddy debris or were washed away by the raging floods to distant areas.
With the heavy rains expected to persist, the humanitarian organisation warns that about 507 households downstream are at a similar risk in the event of an overflow.
A section of families has camped at Ngeya Secondary School in Mai Mahiu town, and the government has established an emergency centre to give details of their missing kin and aid the ongoing search mission.
Evacuation
The government has issued a 24-hour evacuation notice effective May 2, 2024 affecting residents in 33 Counties within 178 high-risk dams and water reservoirs.
All persons residing within the 30-meter riparian corridor of rivers and other water courses across the country have been ordered to vacate immediately for their safety.
Mandatory evacuation along rivers in Nairobi County (Mathare, Ngong, and Nairobi Rivers) is ongoing with the Government facilitating logistical support, temporary shelter and essential supplies to those affected.
115 camps have been set up across 19 counties hosting 27,586 people.
By Margaret Kalekye