The number of deaths due to devastating floods continues to rise in Kenya, reaching at least 20, a local authority cited by Efe revealed on Sunday.
Last night, at least eight people reportedly drowned in southern Kenya while trying to cross the flooded Muuoni River in Makueni County. Parts of essential infrastructure were destroyed and villages were inundated by floodwaters. The coastal, northern and central regions of Kenya are the most affected by the El Niño phenomenon.
The Kenyan government has set aside 2.4 billion Kenyan shillings (about $19 million) to support those affected, The Nation newspaper reported. Since October 1, floods have killed more than 100 people in the Horn of Africa and displaced more than 700,000, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, adding that floods have displaced more than 700,000 people in the region.