Africa News of Friday, 26 April 2024

Source: bbc.com

Kenya braces for more rain as flood death toll hits 60

Severe flooding has displaced hundreds of thousands of people across East Africa - and in Kenya rescue workers and authorities are "bracing" themselves for even more devastation.

"The situation continues to be very worrying. As of last night we were reporting over 60 people died across the country," Senator Edwin Sifuna, who represents the particularly hard-hit Nairobi County, told BBC Newsday.

The flooding has been caused by torrential rains linked to the El Niño weather phenomenon.

"Even just looking outside my window the clouds are already gathering. The weatherman tells us to expect even heavier rains over the next 72 hours," Mr Sifuna said, adding that rescue teams on the ground estimate that roughly 100,000 have been forced to flee their homes

Michael Aiyabei, head of disaster risk management, is also concerned.

"We are bracing for an even harder moment," he said.

At least 155 people in neighbouring Tanzania have died in the floods. In Burundi, nearly 100,000 people have been displaced.