Dora the Axe-plorer (talk | contribs) No edit summary |
Dora the Axe-plorer (talk | contribs) Misusing the proposed deletion; see WP:ATD; factual mistakes do no warrant PRD. Article needs to be renamed however |
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|concern = Multiple news sources—sourced in this article no less—report that no dam exists and that no dam has failed. [https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-68896456 "The area has no dam"] — Kenyan Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation. |
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{{Infobox event |
{{Infobox event |
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| title = 2024 Mai Mahiu flash flood |
| title = 2024 Mai Mahiu flash flood |
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Revision as of 01:27, 4 May 2024
| Date | April 29, 2024 |
|---|---|
| Location | Near Nakuru County, Kenya |
| Type | Flash flood |
| Deaths | 48 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 109 hospitalized |
| Missing | 84 |
On 29 April 2024, a blockage in a culvert beneath a railway embankment led to a catastrophic failure and inundation in Kenya, killing at least 48 people.[1] The event was initially described as a 'dam failure'.[2] The flood occurred following heavy rains in the previous month that killed over 110 people. Casualties came from the town of Mai Mahiu, where another 84 people were reported missing, and 109 people were hospitalized.[3]
Flood and aftermath
The flood was initially attributed by police as triggered by a dam burst. Kenya's government later said the cause was debris blockage at a river tunnel beneath a railway embankment. The area lies in a region of the Great Rift Valley that is susceptible to flash floods. The water ministry said the flood carried away the railway embankment and poured downstream at "a very high speed and velocity".[2][4] At least 48 people died and another 84 were missing.[5] Officials said the number of dead is a "conservative estimate" as more bodies were thought to be buried under mud.[6] One survivor said he was awakened by his home shaking and screams; he managed to escape with his family before the flood arrived.[2]
Response
Rescuers sifted through debris to recover survivors in the town of Mai Mahiu.[7] The injured were treated by medical porsonnel.[8] The Kenya Red Cross Society said 109 people were hospitalized.[3]
The Red Cross also established a helpdesk for families to locate missing relatives. Some bodies were found stuck in trees while an unknown number were believed to be buried under mud.[9]
To prevent similar disasters, Kithure Kindiki, the interior minister, demanded that all public and private dams and water reservoirs be inspected within 24 hours beginning from the afternoon of 29 April. The nation's highway authority also advised motorists about debris and heavy traffic on roads in the Naivasha and Narok area.[8] On X (formerly Twitter), he said arrests would be made for attempts to cross or transport people across flooded rivers or storm water via unsafe modes.[9]
References
- ^ "Kenya flooding: Around 50 killed in villages near Mai Mahiu town". www.bbc.com. 29 April 2024. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
- ^ a b c "Flash floods, landslide kill at least 45 in central Kenya". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2024-04-29. Retrieved 2024-04-29.
- ^ a b "At least 45 people die in western Kenya as floodwaters sweep away houses and cars". AP News. 2024-04-29. Archived from the original on 2024-04-29. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "'Don't know how many under mud': 45 killed as dam bursts in flood-hit Kenya". South China Morning Post. 2024-04-29. Archived from the original on 2024-04-29. Retrieved 2024-04-29.
- ^ "With shovels, rescuers search for rising number of Kenya flood victims". Reuters. 30 April 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
- ^ "Kenya dam burst: Around 50 killed in villages near Mai Mahiu town". 2024-04-29. Archived from the original on 2024-04-29. Retrieved 2024-04-29.
- ^ "Scores killed in Kenya after dam bursts following weeks of heavy flooding". Agence France-Presse. 29 April 2024. Archived from the original on 29 April 2024. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
- ^ a b "At least 40 people die in western Kenya after heavy rains cause a dam collapse". Associated Press. PBS News. 29 April 2024. Archived from the original on 1 May 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
- ^ a b "Dozens dead after dam bursts amid torrential rain in Kenya". Agence France-Presse. The Guardian. 29 April 2024. Archived from the original on 30 April 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.