ADVERTISEMENT
Nile Post
  • News
    • 2021 Elections Watch
      • The Election Podcast
    • Education
    • Exclusive
    • Investigations
    • Security
  • Business
  • Opinions
    • Columns
      • Parting Shot
      • Two Sides of a Coin
      • Bazanye’s Quick Shots
      • Week in Ugandan News
  • Global
    • Africa
    • Asia
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • The Americas
  • East Africa
    • Kenya
    • Rwanda
    • South Sudan
  • Lifestyle
    • Entertainment
    • Health
      • Coronavirus outbreak
    • Tour & Travel
    • Love Therapist
    • Homes
    • Reviews
  • Tech
  • Special Reports
    • Kabaka Mutebi’s 25th Coronation Series
    • Focus on Somalia
    • Sino-Africa
    • Uganda at 56
    • Anti-Corruption Fight
    • Age Limit Map
    • Tuve Ku Kaveera
  • Sports
    • Place-It
    • StarTimes Uganda Premier League
    • Bundesliga
    • World Cup
  • Jobs
  • Archives
  • Live
No Results Found
View All Results
  • News
    • 2021 Elections Watch
      • The Election Podcast
    • Education
    • Exclusive
    • Investigations
    • Security
  • Business
  • Opinions
    • Columns
      • Parting Shot
      • Two Sides of a Coin
      • Bazanye’s Quick Shots
      • Week in Ugandan News
  • Global
    • Africa
    • Asia
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • The Americas
  • East Africa
    • Kenya
    • Rwanda
    • South Sudan
  • Lifestyle
    • Entertainment
    • Health
      • Coronavirus outbreak
    • Tour & Travel
    • Love Therapist
    • Homes
    • Reviews
  • Tech
  • Special Reports
    • Kabaka Mutebi’s 25th Coronation Series
    • Focus on Somalia
    • Sino-Africa
    • Uganda at 56
    • Anti-Corruption Fight
    • Age Limit Map
    • Tuve Ku Kaveera
  • Sports
    • Place-It
    • StarTimes Uganda Premier League
    • Bundesliga
    • World Cup
  • Jobs
  • Archives
  • Live
No Results Found
View All Results
Nile Post
No Results Found
View All Results

Kenya Dam Collapse Survivors Worry Other Dams Could Burst

Amon Katungulu by Amon Katungulu
May 13, 2018 at 5:42 am
in Africa, Health, Kenya, Security
Kenya Dam Collapse Survivors Worry Other Dams Could Burst

More than 40 people were killed after a dam burst Wednesday night in Kenya’s Rift Valley and many others are still missing following heavy rains. Authorities say the dam was built illegally on private land, and residents fear other dams built without permission could also collapse.

The dam, known by locals as the Patel dam, was one of seven in the Solai area of Nakuru Town located on a private farm. It broke open Wednesday night, sweeping away hundreds of homes, according to officials.

Search efforts continued Friday, with rescue workers hoping to find survivors trapped in the mud and debris.

James Kimani barely escaped death when the dam burst on Wednesday. He said he carried two people on his motorbike.

“Both of them were swept away,” he said. “They died but I managed to hang on to a tree. When I reached home, I found that everything and everyone had been carried away.”

Local villagers blamed the tragedy on negligence, saying they had complained to authorities that the dam was leaking.

The director of public prosecutions has directed police to establish the “cause and culpability if any” of Wednesday’s disaster and give him the results of the investigation within 14 days.

And Kenya’s Water Resources Management Authority, which regulates private dams, said Friday the Patel Dam and the other dams on the property did not have the required permits.

Solai resident Hellen Wanjiru said the remaining dams still present a danger.

“There are so many dams around these area, and they will continue to cause more damage, she said. “This man has built a lot of dams, and these dams are starting to fall apart. Where do they want us to go?”

Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i visited the scene Thursday and said the government was taking steps to determine the stability of the other six dams.

“We have lost a lot of lives here, and this is very tragic,” he said. “This is now not time to waste any minute on anything.”

Noellah Namulanda, communications manager of the Kenya Red Cross, told VOA the death toll of the Solai tragedy stood at 42 and could still rise. The Red Cross is trying to help the survivors.

“The most crucial thing is to try help them recover from this, so we are putting up temporary shelters,” she said. “We are also doing psycho-social support to families and the community. We are also involved in the search and rescue.”

Namulanda added that the Red Cross is evacuation services and giving first aid services on site— “something at least to help them get back on their feet in the interim as we look for long term solutions.”

Weeks of torrential rain have caused flooding and mudslides across Kenya. The downpours that began in March have left close to 200 people dead.

Government statistics released Wednesday showed that more than 220,000 people have been displaced by flooding.

Tags: east africaeast africa floodingfloodingkenya damkenya dam bursts

Related Posts

News

Flooding hits six million people in East Africa

by NP admin
October 7, 2020
0

The number of people hit by seasonal flooding in East Africa has increased more than five fold in four years,...

Read more
How to address food-sustainability challenges in sub-Saharan Africa

East Africa’s food basket: Balancing import substitution and regionalism

July 17, 2020
Insiders remain one of the key threats to corporate cybersecurity in East Africa

Insiders remain one of the key threats to corporate cybersecurity in East Africa

June 29, 2020
Facebook steps up efforts to tackle misinformation on Covid-19 in East Africa

Facebook steps up efforts to tackle misinformation on Covid-19 in East Africa

April 1, 2020
Tanzania is pressing Burundi refugees to leave

Tanzania is pressing Burundi refugees to leave

December 13, 2019

Discussion about this post

Follow Us

  • 179.1k Fans
  • 158.3k Followers
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement

Latest

Nubian Li, Eddie Mutwe, 34 NUP supporters seek bail from High Court

March 1, 2021
Plascon Paints, Vipers SC sign 400 million shillings sponsorship deal

Plascon Paints, Vipers SC sign 400 million shillings sponsorship deal

March 1, 2021
Former French President Sarkozy sentenced to jail for corruption

Former French President Sarkozy sentenced to jail for corruption

March 1, 2021
Bobi Wine petition: Lawyer Mabirizi runs to East African court

Bobi Wine petition: Lawyer Mabirizi runs to East African court

March 1, 2021
After US warship leaves Mombasa, Russian Naval warship docks in Sudan, not far from Uganda

After US warship leaves Mombasa, Russian Naval warship docks in Sudan, not far from Uganda

March 1, 2021
cocacola-ad-safebodacocacola-ad-safebodacocacola-ad-safeboda

Featured

2021 Elections Watch

Nubian Li, Eddie Mutwe, 34 NUP supporters seek bail from High Court

by Alex Mugasha
March 1, 2021
0

Robert Kyagulanyi’s singing partner, Ali Bukeni also known...

Bobi Wine petition: Lawyer Mabirizi runs to East African court

Bobi Wine petition: Lawyer Mabirizi runs to East African court

March 1, 2021
After US warship leaves Mombasa, Russian Naval warship docks in Sudan, not far from Uganda

After US warship leaves Mombasa, Russian Naval warship docks in Sudan, not far from Uganda

March 1, 2021
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Careers
Call us: +256-417-720-101

© 2020 Nile Post Uganda Ltd. - A Next Media Services Company.

No Results Found
View All Results
  • News
    • 2021 Elections Watch
      • The Election Podcast
    • Education
    • Exclusive
    • Investigations
    • Security
  • Business
  • Opinions
    • Columns
      • Parting Shot
      • Two Sides of a Coin
      • Bazanye’s Quick Shots
      • Week in Ugandan News
  • Global
    • Africa
    • Asia
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • The Americas
  • East Africa
    • Kenya
    • Rwanda
    • South Sudan
  • Lifestyle
    • Entertainment
    • Health
      • Coronavirus outbreak
    • Tour & Travel
    • Love Therapist
    • Homes
    • Reviews
  • Tech
  • Special Reports
    • Kabaka Mutebi’s 25th Coronation Series
    • Focus on Somalia
    • Sino-Africa
    • Uganda at 56
    • Anti-Corruption Fight
    • Age Limit Map
    • Tuve Ku Kaveera
  • Sports
    • Place-It
    • StarTimes Uganda Premier League
    • Bundesliga
    • World Cup
  • Jobs
  • Archives
  • Live

© 2020 Nile Post Uganda Ltd. - A Next Media Services Company.