Flash floods in Kenya have killed at least 81 and displace thousands

By Dominic Wabwireh with other agencies

Torrential rains and flash floods have killed at least 81 people across Kenya this month, authorities said, as heavy downpours continue. In Kisumu County, entire villages have been submerged, with about 1,200 hectares of farmland destroyed and crops swept away.

The worst-hit area is Nyakach, where more than 3,000 families have been displaced after the Sondu Miriu River overflowed.

“We have lost farmlands due to massive erosion… and many crops,” said local chief Seth Oluoch Agwanda, adding that residents have been moved to more than eight evacuation centres.

Flood victims say they have nowhere to go.

“There is no house that is not flooded,” said Kennedy Oguta, who is struggling to find shelter for his family and livestock.

Another resident, Sarah Akinyi Onyango, said families remain stranded in rising المياه with children.

Capital and other regions affected

In Nairobi, the death toll stands at 37, with floods damaging homes and infrastructure.

Authorities also reported deaths in Kiambu and landslides in Kasaka.

Warnings as rains continue

Officials have urged “extreme caution” as more rain is forecast.

Scientists warn that climate change is intensifying extreme weather, with East Africa increasingly hit by severe floods and droughts.