Ten killed in floods mayhem

A church retreat turned tragic on Sunday when seven people drowned in flash floods at the Hells Gate National Park in Naivasha.

They were part of a group of 35 young men and women from Mukara PCEA in Dagoretti, Nairobi, who had gone for a trip at the park.

The group left Nairobi in the morning and was expected back at 4pm, according to the Rev Nancy Muthoni, the parish minister.

Survivors told the Nation last night that a group of 15 had entered a gorge at the park just before dusk, but were trapped by sudden floods. Guides accompanying the youth group rescued eight.

Kenya Wildlife Service Corporate Affairs Manager Mr Paul Udoto said they had retrieved one body and were searching for the others.

Naivasha police boss Ernest Oponyo asked the Kenya Red Cross to help in the search.

Anxious relatives called the Nation newsroom for details about the tragedy as parents and church leaders left for Naivasha last night fearing for the worst.

Naivasha MP John Mututho blamed KWS, saying the group should have been guided properly.

“They run the park and they know how safe or unsafe it is, we cannot call it bad luck. Someone must be responsible and KWS is to blame,” he said by phone.

Elsewhere, four people died and hundreds were left homeless in flash floods across the country.

Three were killed after a heavy downpour in Gwassi, Homa Bay County at the weekend.

Seven others are missing.

Kenya Red Cross officials and Administration Police recovered three bodies as rains continued in Suba District.

“A search for the seven missing residents of Magunga and Kobar villages is still going on,” a dispatch from the Red Cross said.

In Wiga Valley, East Gwassi, the flood waters swept away houses, crops and livestock, it said.

In Migori, a 12-year-old girl drowned while swimming in River Migori on Saturday.

In Kisii, the heavy rains destroyed five toilets of Ebiosi Secondary School.

“We have been forced to cut short the holiday remedial classes because we cannot operate without toilets,” said the school’s principal, Mr Enock Makori.

In Maragua, 15 households were rendered homeless when a landslide destroyed their houses, the Red Cross said.

A storm blew off the roof of several houses, in Mlolongo, Machakos County. A number of families were rendered homeless in Syokimau, Beijing Road Phase Three and near Mlolongo Police Station.

The homeless families are camping at Mlolongo Primary School.

Several families living near River Nzoia and Lusumu in Kakamega County suffered heavy losses after floods destroyed their crops and swept away bridges.

The Kenya National Highways Authority chief executive Meshack Kidenda (KeNHA) promised that reconstruction of roads and bridges destroyed by heavy rains will begin immediately the rains subside.

Additional reporting by Maurice Kaluoch, Jackline Moraa, Otieno Owida and John Shilitsa.