Nairobi: The death toll in Kenya’s worst floods since March has risen to 188, with dozens still missing.
Heavy rains have wreaked havoc in Kenya and other East African countries, with floods and landslides forcing people from their homes and damaging roads, bridges and other infrastructure.
“As a result, 188 people died in the country due to severe weather conditions,” the ministry said in a statement.
125 people were also reported injured, 90 people were reported missing, and 165,000 people were left homeless.
About 100 tourists boarded a boat on Wednesday after heavy rain caused a river to overflow in Kenya’s famed Maasai Mara game reserve.
The area is now inaccessible due to the removal of the bridge, Narok West District Commissioner Stephen Nakola told AFP that about 50 camps in the reserve were affected and more than 500 local residents temporarily displaced.
There were no deaths, but nearby communities were forced to evacuate.
“Entering the Mara is no longer a nightmare and people who are stuck here are really worried, there is no way out,” said Nakola.
“I’m afraid the situation will be worse as the rain is still going on”.
Dozens of villagers died when a dam burst near Mai Mahiu in the Rift Valley, 60 km north of the capital Nairobi, in Kenya’s deadliest incident.
The Interior Ministry said 52 bodies have been recovered after the dam disaster and 51 people are still missing.
On Tuesday, Kenyan President William Ruto announced that he is sending troops to evacuate all people living in flood-affected areas.
Opposition politicians and lobby groups have accused Ruto’s government of failing to prepare for the crisis despite weather warnings and insisting on declaring the floods a national disaster.
“The Kenyan government has an obligation to prevent potential damage from climate change and extreme weather events and to protect people during disasters,” Human Rights Watch said Thursday.
Events such as floods “pose a particular threat to marginalized and vulnerable populations such as the elderly, the disabled, the poor and rural communities,” HRW said in a statement.
The United States and the United Kingdom have issued travel warnings for Kenya, urging citizens to be cautious in the face of extreme weather conditions.
Rats have left a trail of destruction in other East African countries, including neighboring Tanzania, where floods and landslides have killed at least 155 people.
The heavy seasonal rains are driven by the El Nino weather pattern – a naturally occurring climate phenomenon usually associated with rising global temperatures, which causes drought in some parts.
Tragedies in Kenya and other countries have prompted pledges of condolence and solidarity with grieving families from around the world.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life due to severe flooding in Burundi, Kenya, Somalia and Tanzania and other parts of East Africa.
“The Secretary General of the United Nations is concerned about the effects of extreme weather caused by El Niño, which will further destroy communities and destroy their livelihoods.”
