We stand with flood victims in East Africa
Stand with East Africans as they face killer floods
Stand with East Africans as they face killer floods
Torrential rains have uprooted hundreds of thousands of people across East Africa in recent weeks, offsetting a humanitarian disaster that is threatening the lives of entire communities.
In Kenya, floods have displaced over 260,000 people and killed 100 others in at least 15 of the country’s 47 counties, according to the United Nations office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs. The floods, which have also affected refugees in northeastern Kenya’s Dadaab camp, have damaged businesses, swept away homes and food supplies, closed more than 200 schools, destroyed community water points, and increased chances of disease outbreaks including cholera and malaria. The situation was so dire Facebook activated a safety feature this week asking users to indicate if they were safe.
A dam burst its banks in Kenya's Rift Valley, killing at least 38 people and forcing hundreds from their homes. Water burst through the banks of the Patel Dam in Solai, Nakuru County, on Wednesday night, sweeping away hundreds of homes, including those on the expansive Nyakinyua Farm, which borders the reservoir.
"We have recovered 38 bodies and many people are missing. It is a disaster," said Rongai police chief Joseph Kioko. Almost an entire village was swept through by silt and water, said Gideon Kibunja the county police chief in charge of criminal investigations.
Up to 40 people have been rescued from the mud and taken to hospital Thursday morning in rescue operations by the Kenya Red Cross and Nakuru County disaster management teams. Many more are feared still trapped. Officials said the dam water and mud spewed out of the reservoir and submerged homes over a radius of nearly 1.2 miles.
In Somalia, 500,000 people were affected by the floods, prompting the government to ask for international assistance, and pushing African Union peacekeepers to relocate hundreds of people to safer grounds.
This comes in the wake of a drought that just ended a couple of months ago in several parts of East Africa. We hope that governments in these countries can avert these disasters by proper management of resources.
CitizenGO Africa sends heartfelt condolences to the families that have lost their families in these floods and also congratulate Red Cross Society for working hard to help victims.
http://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-kenya-dam-burst-20180510-story.html