Kenya: Rains claim lives, displace thousands

ANKARA (AA) - More than 10 people have died and 1,000 have been displaced across Kenya by continuing heavy rains, local media reports said on Monday.

While the rains are expected to continue over several parts of the country through Wednesday, Stella Aura, Kenya’s head meteorologist, said strong winds of more than 25 knots (12.5 meters or 41 feet per second) will blow over the northwest and some parts of the northeast of the East African country, the Star daily reported Monday.

While several parts of the country have been hit by the floods, the destruction of several homes in the northwestern town of Marsabit has left roughly 1,000 people and 200 households displaced, said the paper.

"The situation could worsen due to the ongoing rains and we are asking Kenyans to observe safety measures including carrying umbrellas, being on the lookout for flash floods, moving to higher grounds and not to drive, walk or swim through flooded areas or moving water," the Daily Nation newspaper quoted Red Cross Kenya Communications Manager Peter Abwao as saying on Sunday.

The Standard Digital news website on Monday accused the government of not taking “preparedness mechanisms to counter effects that everybody knows would follow heavy rainfall.”