Entire villages and towns are currently under water after being swallowed by flood waters following days of heavy rains that have pounded the country causing death, devastation and untold misery. Heavy flooding at JKIA caused Nairobi bound flights to be re-routed to Mombasa with water levels reaching the knee level.
More than 100 people have been killed and scores are missing after they were swept away by raging floods caused by extremely heavy rainfall that is pound nearly all parts of the country.
Kenya’s premier airport, the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, in Nairobi suffered humiliating flooding that forced re-routing of Nairobi bound flights while export cargo worth millions of shillings was destroyed after flooding left water levels reach knee height.
It was another low blow for the leading airport hub in East Africa coming days after leaking roofs were widely reported causing huge inconvenience to travelers.
The latest tragedy was reported on Sunday afternoon after a boat with more than 40 people onboard capsized on the swollen River Tana as it tried to cross to Garissa town.
At least 20 were rescued but the whereabouts of the others remained unknown after they were swept downstream by the flooded river. 10 others had died on Saturday when a daredevil driver attempted to drive past a river whose flood waters had overtopped the bridge at Sultan Hamud, in Makueni County.
Tens of people have also died in Nairobi with more than 13 of them being victims of the Mathare River that left hundreds of families with no homes and had to be accommodated in temporary shelters, schools and social halls.
Several other people have died as Kenyans dice with death by driving or riding across flooded brigdes underestimating the power of the flood currents. This has prompted the Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua to issue a warning to Kenyans not to dare nature, saying the water is particularly a very strong force.
Entire villages have been swallowed by flood waters across the country with most devastation occurring in Kirinyaga, Machakos, Nairobi, Makueni and several Coast counties.
The latest victim of the devastating floods is Sindo town in Homabay County that has been completely flooded after heavy rains pounded the area continuously over the past few days.
The meteorological department has predicted even more rains in days to come, asking Kenyans to take precautions and those in low lying areas to move to higher grounds.
