At least 42 people have lost their lives following a dam breach in Kenya caused by severe rains and flooding, the governor of Nakuru County, Susan Kihika, told the news agency AFP on Monday.
The dam that ruptured was located close to the town of Mai Mahiu in Nakuru County. Houses were destroyed and roads were blocked as a result of the incident.
“Forty-two dead, it’s a conservative estimate. There are still more in the mud, we are working on recovery,” Kihika said.
On Monday, government spokesperson Isaac Maigua Mwaura stated that the incident occurred amid widespread flooding in the country, which has claimed at least 103 lives and displaced thousands since March.
East Africa has been plagued by nearly constant downpours in recent weeks as the El Nino phenomenon has exacerbated seasonal rainfalls.
El Nino is a naturally occurring phenomenon that creates a domino-like weather effect in various parts of the world. In East Africa, it is normally associated with elevated levels of rainfall.