Dam collapse in Kenya kills 40, officials say
Police in Kenya say at least 40 people have died after a dam collapsed in the west of the country.
The floodwaters swept through houses and cut off a major road, police official Stephen Kirui told The Associated Press.
The Monday morning incident happened after the Old Kijabe Dam, located in the Mai Mahiu area of the Great Rift Valley region that is prone to flash floods, collapsed and water spilled downstream.
Ongoing rains in Kenya have caused flooding that has killed nearly 100 people and caused the opening of schools to be postponed.
Heavy rains have been pounding the country since mid-March and the Meteorology Department has warned of more rainfall.
Kenya’s Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki ordered the inspection of all public and private dams and water reservoirs within 24 hours to avert future incidents.
The ministry said recommendations for evacuations and resettlement would be done after the inspection.
The Kenya National Highways Authority issued an alert warning motorists to brace for heavy traffic and debris that blocked roads.
The wider East African region is experiencing flooding due to the heavy rains, and 155 people have reportedly died in Tanzania while more than 200,000 people are affected in neighboring Burundi.
Kenya’s main airport was flooded on Saturday, forcing some flights to be diverted, as videos of a flooded runway, terminals and cargo section were shared online.
More than 200,000 people across Kenya the country have been affected by the floods, with houses in flood-prone areas submerged and people seeking refuge in schools.
President William Ruto had instructed the National Youth Service to provide land for use as a temporary camp for those affected.
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