The death toll from the ongoing floods caused by heavy rains across Kenya has reached 49, Kenyan police have disclosed in a statement seen by APA on Wednesday.
The National Police Service said that its officers working alongside other multi-agency response teams remain on the ground conducting rescue missions and evacuating residents from vulnerable locations.
The service said at least 2,624 families have been displaced from their homes as floodwaters swept through residential areas, forcing many to seek shelter in safer locations.
The flooding which intensified following heavy rains on Friday, March 6, has left widespread destruction in Nairobi and other parts of the country.
The Kenya Meteorological Department said across the Nairobi metropolitan region, rainfall totals over the past week remained unusually high.
David Koros, assistant director of forecasting services at the Kenya Meteorological Department said the heavy downpours were observed across most parts of the country.
“The amount of rain recorded in a single day illustrates the intensity of last week’s downpours. One millimetre of rainfall equals one litre of water over a square metre, meaning 160 millimetres translates to about 160 litres of water falling on every square metre within 24 hours, roughly the equivalent of eight 20 litre jerrycans,” Koros told local media.
Despite the devastation caused by the rains, the Kenya Meteorological Department now says the country could see some relief in the coming days.
According to the department’s forecast for the period between March 10 and March 16, rainfall is expected to reduce in both spatial coverage and intensity across several parts of the country, although occasional rains will continue in some regions.
MG/as/APA