Kenya dam bursts, killing at least 42 - governor

At least 42 people died when a dam burst its banks near a town in Kenya's Rift Valley, the local governor told AFP on April 29, Report informs referring to Barron's.

The dam burst near Mai Mahiu in Nakuru county, washing away houses and cutting off a road, with rescuers digging through debris to find survivors.

"Forty-two dead, it's a conservative estimate. There are still more in the mud, we are working on recovery," said Nakuru governor Susan Kihika.

Monday's dam collapse raises the total death toll over the March-May wet season to 120 as heavier than usual rainfall pounds East Africa, compounded by the El Nino weather pattern.

Meanwhile, the Kenya Red Cross said Monday it had retrieved two bodies after a boat carrying "a large number of people" capsized at the weekend in flooded Tana River county in eastern Kenya, adding that 23 others had been rescued.

Flash floods have submerged roads and neighborhoods, leading to the displacement of more than 130,000 people across 24,000 households, many of them in the capital Nairobi, according to government figures released Saturday.

Schools have been forced to remain shut following mid-term holidays after the education ministry announced Monday that it would postpone their reopening by one week due to "ongoing heavy rains".

"The devastating effects of the rains in some of the schools is so severe that it will be imprudent to risk the lives of learners and staff before water-tight measures are put in place to ensure adequate safety," Education Minister Ezekiel Machogu said.

"Based on this assessment, the Ministry of Education has resolved to postpone the reopening of all primary and secondary schools by one week, to Monday, May 6, 2024," he said.