By Patricia Mollyne Mataga
The Kenya Red Cross Society emergency response team has embarked on a mission to rescue an unknown number of tourists who have been trapped by floodwater.
According to the society’s statement on their social media, the tourists have been trapped in at least 14 tents within the Talek area in Narok county.
Some of the tents that the tourists were using have also been swept away.
The floods are reported to have been as a result of the Talek River breaking its bank due to the ongoing heavy rainfall.
The Kenya Red Cross team is being assisted by those from the national government and the county government of Narok.
“An ongoing search and rescue operation is underway for tourists trapped by floodwaters in over 14 tourist camps in Talek, Narok after the Talek River broke its banks,” the humanitarian agency said in part of the statement.
As of the last update of the Kenya Red Cross Society, at least 50 people had been rescued from the air both by air and through the waters.
The situation has also been worsened by the Mara Bride being swept away by the raging floods.
“Collaborating with the National and County Government of Narok, the Mara Elephant Project and community members, we have rescued 36 people by air and another 25 through an aqua rescue team,” Kenya Red Cross said.
“In some camps, tents have been swept away, and the Mara Bridge, linking the Mara Triangle and the Greater Mara, has been washed away,” it added.
Earlier in the day, the agency said This is its team had rescued 16 people marooned by floodwaters at Konoramadha in Saka, Tana River County.
The country has been witnessing heavy rainfall which has led to many households being submerged.
Many have been left homeless and at least 100 deaths related to the rains have also been reported, the worst being the recent incident at Mai Mahiu where at least 71 were killed when stormwater burst through an old railway tunnel, sweeping households at night.
Several roads have also been closed due to flooding that has made them impassable.