By Patricia Mollyne Mataga
11 people who were in a lorry that was swept by raging water in Makueni County have been rescued.
Kenya Red Cross in an update on Friday evening said 7 more persons had been rescued following an earlier rescue of 4 people.
“Update: 7 individuals rescued, promptly taken to Sultan Hamud Sub-County Hospital following the incident,” the humanitarian agency said.
It however noted that response was still ongoing. It is not yet clear how many people were on the lorry.
A video that has been doing rounds on social media captured at least ten people on the lorry as it tried to cross a flooded river.
The lorry however did not manage to cross, and was instead swept away.
“In Sultan Hamud, Makueni County, a distressing incident has occurred: a lorry ferrying people was swept away by raging waters. We are at the scene and actively responding to the situation,” Kenya Red Cross had said.
Meanwhile, the agency said it has rescued 41 people that had been trapped in Kilifi.
“We have successfully evacuated 41 individuals, including 30 adults and 11 children, from Malimo to Laini in Kilifi,” Kenya Red Cross said.
“They were marooned due to the overflowing River Sabaki,” it added.
Elsewhere, the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has advised motorists plying the Athi River – Machakos Road near Green Park estate to exercise caution. This is after the embankment slopes on the road eroded, posing risks to the service road.
“The main carriageway remains open, however, due to the tenuous conditions, please refrain from using the service road. Motorists are advised to prioritize safety when using the main carriageway and to proceed with caution,” KeNHA said.
The country has witnessed flooding following heavy rains for the last few days.