Kenya's president, William Ruto, has held a special cabinet meeting as heavy rains continue to lash the country. The death toll from a month of flooding has reached at least 170 people. 185,000 others have been displaced.

Nairobi

Kenya is grappling with severe flooding that has taken a significant toll on the country, prompting President William Ruto to convene a special cabinet meeting to address the crisis. The continuous heavy rains have resulted in the deaths of at least 170 individuals over the past month, while displacing approximately 185,000 others. In regions like Mahio town, families are left to mourn their losses. Penina Wambui, a resident who lost her mother and two sisters to the flash floods, expressed her disbelief and sorrow upon confirming their deaths at the mortuary.

The consequences of the flooding extend beyond the loss of lives. Many have lost their homes, possessions, and are struggling to comprehend the disaster that has befallen them. Aid in the form of clothing and food is being provided to those affected. Individual stories of survival and loss highlight the personal impact of these floods. For instance, John Kinuthia recounts the tragic loss of his nine-year-old son while celebrating the miraculous survival of his daughter who was injured but saved by being pushed against an uprooted tree.

The Red Cross is spearheading recovery operations in the hardest-hit areas. The disaster was triggered by a gully, which had been collecting water since the onset of the rains, finally caving in and releasing a destructive flow of water across a vast area. Over 200 volunteers have been mobilized to search through the debris and mud for missing persons, an endeavor complicated by the vast area affected and the sheer force of the water that has uprooted trees and demolished structures. Some residents and volunteers fear that due to the magnitude of the disaster, not all bodies will be recovered, a grim reality that families may have to come to terms with.



Kenya floods: Search efforts underway to find dozens missing

These people have lost all they had, homes, belongings, and their relatives. Penina Wambui can only pray to try and ease the pain she's feeling. Her mother and two sisters were buried under debris in flash floods that have swept my Mahio town." I can't breathe, it's like I'm dreaming. When I saw them at the mortuary, it was real." Those forced from their homes are given clothes and food. They're still trying to make sense of what happened. John Kinuthia's neighbours are helping him carry one of the few things he has been left with. The rescuers found his nine-year-old son dead on this chair. My daughter was saved. The water pushed her against a tree that had been uprooted. She was injured. The water also carried me, but I was able to cling onto a branch. The Red Cross is coordinating recovery operations. The disaster here started when an uphill gully that had been accumulating water since the rain started, caved in. The impact was devastating. The corridor is a stretch of about 150 metres width, but the length is quite long. We are looking at over 50 kilometres that we actually need to comb. This is a challenging operation, 200 volunteers have been deployed to do the work. That machine over there is being used to clear the debris, and we're talking about water that came down with so much force, it uprooted these huge trees as well. And what is going to happen after this is that the volunteers will use shovels to dig through the mud to see if there are bodies trapped underneath. People in the villages are also helping. The owner of this car hired some to help him remove important parts. They say they found bodies. Some people swept away by the water may never be found. Their loved ones say that's something they'll find difficult to live with. Catherine Soy, MyMahio, Central Kenya.

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