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Kenya
Red Cross officials and and Nakuru County Disaster Management unit evacuate
families after Patel Dam burst its banks on May 9, 2018. PHOTO | MAGDALENE
WANJA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
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A dam burst overnight in
a Kenyan town after heavy rain, causing “huge destruction” and deaths, a
government official said on Thursday.
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Ambulances
rush survivors of the tragedy to hospital on May 9, 2018. PHOTO | MAGDALENE
WANJA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
|
The
burst happened in Solai, Nakuru county, 190 km (120 miles) northwest of the
capital, Nairobi, late on Wednesday.
"The
water has caused huge destruction of both life and property. The extent of the
damage has yet to be ascertained," Lee Kinyajui, governor of Nakuru, said
in a statement.
Kenya
Red Cross said on Twitter it had so far rescued 39 people.
Nakuru Dam Tragedy
Toll Hits 20
Daily Nation reports that at
least 20 people have been confirmed dead and hundreds of families displaced
after the walls of Patel Dam in Solai, Nakuru County, broke down on Wednesday
night.
Rongai
police boss Japheth Kioko on Thursday said 20 bodies had been recovered, with
search and rescue operation ongoing.
Residents
told the Nation that they heard an "explosion" before water gushed
out, sweeping away hundreds of homes in the neighbourhood, including those on
the expansive Nyakinyua Farm, which borders the water reservoir.
PROPERTY
The
9pm horror rendered over 300 families homeless and about 2,500 residents were
affected.
Property
estimated to be worth millions of shillings was also destroyed by the raging
waters and thick mud.
Tens
of people, including children, are feared trapped in the black mud.
Rescue
operation by Kenya Red Cross and Nakuru County disaster management teams went
into the small hours of Thursday.
By
1am, about 40 people had been rescued from the mud and rushed to local health
facilities, including Bahati Sub-County and Nakuru Level Five hospitals.
The
rescue mission was called off at 2am due to darkness and it is expected to
resume on Thursday morning.
The
dam water and mud spilt out of the reservoir and submerged homes, extending to
a radius of nearly two kilometres.
3
DAMS
The
mega dam is one of the three water reservoirs owned by a large-scale irrigation
farmer, Mr c, who was not around at the time of the tragedy.
The
one that wreaked havoc is situated on the upper end of his expansive farm and
initial reports indicate that it "burst" due to high volumes of
water.
Its
location on the upper side of the farm as locals live in low-lying areas has
elicited many questions, with Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui saying they will
investigate if Mr Patel was licensed to set up the reservoirs.
The
other two dams are intact but with with high volumes of water.
A
team from both the national and county governments is expected to assess them
this morning.
Kabazi
MCA Peter Mbae told the Nation that more than 20 families had been evacuated to
safe grounds.
"We
assure residents that the rescue teams are doing their best to evacuate
affected families to safety and assist victims get medical attention,” said Mr
Mbae.
EVACUATION
Governor
Kinyanjui said the flood waters caused huge destruction of both life and
property.
The
extent of the damage is yet to be ascertained, he said in a statement.
“The
county has dispatched ambulances to the scene to aid in evacuation of victims,”
he said.
“Medics have been mobilised at Bahati
Sub-County Hospital and Nakuru County Referral Hospital and are on standby to
receive victims.”
Mr
Kinyanjui said they were doing their best to evacuate affected families to
safety and assist victims get medical attention.
“We
urge residents to continue to be vigilant due to flooding caused by heavy rains
experienced in the county and other parts of the country,” he said.
He
said the county government will donate foodstuffs and other items to the
displaced families on Thursday.
A centre, he said, has been set up near the scene for families to report missing members.
"This will enable us reunite families who may have separated from their loved ones during the incident," he said.
Source: Reuters & Daily Nation
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