Published on •Updated
Tourists and staff were airlifted from a national reserve in Kenya following severe flooding in the east African country.
“A few days ago we had the Mara River and the Talek River also burst their banks… So a lot of the tourists and camp staff had already evacuated the camps,” Marc Goss explained, the CEO of Mara Elephant Project Trust.
Most tourists in the Maasai Mara National Reserve in southwestern Kenya were evacuated before the downpour, authorities said.
In the Kenyan capital of Nairobi, at least 25 people have died after flash flooding causing flight disruptions and left motorists stranded for hours. The total death toll across the country has now reached at least 42.
George Seda, the police chief in Nairobi, said some of the victims were drowned and others were electrocuted.
He warned that the death toll may rise as search and rescue operations continue.
Residents say Nairobi was ill-prepared for flooding
Heavy rain began on Friday 6 March and continued overnight, submerging vehicles and forcing motorists in some areas to wade through hip-high water to reach higher ground.
Videos of flooded homes and overturned vehicles were shared on social media.
A military rescue unit was deployed overnight to support emergency services as Kenya Red Cross response units struggled to reach people in need.
Kenya Red Cross Secretary-General Ahmed Idris said search and rescue teams were working tirelessly to assist those stranded.
Kenya’s Public Service Minister Geoffrey Ruku said on Saturday that he was coordinating national disaster preparedness, response and recovery efforts. He urged Kenyans to be cautious and prioritise their safety.
Some residents blamed the flooding on clogged drainage systems, stating that city authorities ought to have prepared by ensuring there was functional drainage infrastructure ahead of the rainy season.
Rains have been pounding the country since late February, which marks the start of the long-rains season.
Previous rain seasons have seen flooding, landslides and mudslides that have left hundreds of people dead and seen thousands of others displaced.
Video editor • Denis Loctier
Additional sources • MARA ELEPHANT PROJECT TRUST (MEP)