News Africa
Man searches for neighbours swept away by Kenya deluge
At least 76 people are missing in Kenya amid a devastating deluge that has already claimed dozens of lives, the Kenya Red Cross says.
People in villages near Mai Mahiu, about 60km (37 miles) from the capital, Nairobi, were swept away as they slept on Monday morning.
The incident occurred after water blew through a blocked tunnel underneath a railway line.
About 50 people had been confirmed dead by Monday evening, with the Red Cross adding on Tuesday that 110 survivors have been rescued.
For a second day, rescuers are attempting to save those who are trapped under debris but remain alive. They are also trying to retrieve dead bodies from the mud amid fears that the death toll could rise further.
“I’m trying to salvage things that were carried away by water and look for missing people as well,” Stephen Kamau, a villager who narrowly survived the disaster, told BBC.
“I woke up in a different world. Everything had been swept by water. We are in fear. My heart is heavy.”
Officers from state youth agency the National Youth Service (NYS) have joined locals and the Red Cross in their search efforts.
In total, nearly 170 Kenyans have been killed in heavy rains and floods over the past month.
Officers from the state youth agency have joined the search for victims and survivors
Source: bbc.com
