Two girls have died following heavy downpour in Marsabit and other parts of Northern Kenya. [Photo/andrewfire.co.ke]
Two children aged eight and 15 years were on Wednesday swept away by raging floods in Marsabit County, following heavy rains.
Laisamis OCPD Joseph Mwamburi, who confirmed the incident, said the entire area was flooded following heavy downpour, adding that the area has no river and it is a flat lowland, which led to flooding.
Mr Mwamburi said the 15-year-old girl had gone to fetch firewood when she was swept away by the floodwaters.
“We recovered her body immediately after her parents made a report to the station,” said Mr Mwamburi as quoted by the Daily Nation.
Kenya Red Cross Society regional coordinator Talaso Chucha said that another eight-year-old girl died following heavy rains.
According to Ms Chucha, the girl drowned in floodwater near their home at Kamboe, Marsabit.
“Two girls drowned in the floods. The two bodies of the two girls were taken to a morgue at Loglogo health facility,” she said.
Ms Chucha said that in 2016, the same region experienced similar flooding but no one died adding that local leaders need to create awareness on the importance of moving to higher ground, when it rains.
Most areas in northern parts of Kenya are experiencing heavy rainfalls after a long drought.