At least 42 dead in floods, landslides in Tana River

Flash floods and landslides set of by torrential rains swamped the lower region of
Tana River County, killing at least 42 people, leaving 16 others missing and
trapping some residents on their roofs, on Saturday.
Most of the victims were swept away by the rampaging floodwater and drowned or
were hit by debris filled mudslides in three villages in hard hit Tarasaa sub-county
in Tana river county said James Wako, the assistant county commissioner.
“The amount of rainfall that came down overnight was heavy and flowed down the
raised river banks and swelled the river the eroded banks added to the mudslide,”
Wako told the press .
He added that although the rescuing was done early hence the number of the
casualties was low he fears that it may rise since they rescuers haven’t covered
much ground.
Wako said based by reports from disaster response officials, 27 died mostly by
drowning and landslides Ngao ,10 in Milenje and 6 others in Dhadu, all in Tarasaa.
6 people were missing in Dhadu and 10 others from Ngao Wako said.
A rescue team reported that at least 11 bodies of villagers were recovered in
Malune a village nearby at the river plain where also floods hit houses in the
community,Wako said.
“They were able to rescue some earlier but now they're only trying to dig up bodies
there,” he said, adding it was uncertain how many were missing because of the
confusion after the tragedy struck the community.
The armed forces also helped in the rescuing of the stranded as they were
perfoming a drill nearby. Army officials reported that they were lucky to be
nearby to aid the residents in Tarasaa and said in a statement that their forces were
“continuing to rescue those trapped in the flood in collaboration with local disaster
teams” and take the displaced in army trucks to evacuation camps.
The unusually intense rains that flooded several villages in the lower Tana were as
a result of a tropical storm which are rare on this side of the continent according to
forecasters.
Floodwaters rapidly rose in many low-lying villages, forcing some residents to
climb onto their roofs, where they were rescued by army troops, disaster response
officers and volunteers, Wako said. He said many of the swamped areas had not
been flooded for years.
“In one area in Milenje only the rooftop of school can be seen above the
floodwater, “disaster response officer Amina Guyo said, referring to a flood
engulfed village in Tarasaa.
Dozen places in the Coast region were under heavy rain alerts including the coastal
city of Mombasa.
According to the Kenya Coast Guard all marine vessels were to be barred from
venturing deep into the ocean since they were expecting heavy rains which may
result into storms.
The Kenya Meteorological Agency said that tropical storms are expected to hit
different parts of the country in the coming week, hence residents in the whole
country are expected to prepare themselves so as not to be caught off guard once
the heavy rains set in.
Global warming has led to extreme and random weather patterns across the globe.