NAROK, Kenya, Feb 23 – Two people drowned in separate incidents in Narok while property worth thousands of shillings was destroyed by flash floods following a heavy downpour that was experienced in the area on Tuesday night.
A 70-year-old woman was swept by floods at Fanaka area while she was trying to cross a flooded water path while a 35-year-old man drowned while crossing a flooded river in Nkareta area.
Narok County Police Commander John Kizito said the body of the elderly woman was found stuck in a trench and taken to Narok County Referral Hospital mortuary awaiting postmortem.
The second incident was reported by Pastor Daniel Keiwa who said the 35-year-old man drowned in river Enoonkoit Kayetoni while on his way home.
“The body of the young man is yet to be retrieved from the flooded river. We have however recovered his clothes at the banks of the river and at some point saw something that resembled a human hand near the point where his clothes were found,” he said.
The religious leader is now calling on experienced divers who can enter the flooded river to come and help recover the body.
“We are afraid that the water could carry the body to a far place where it will be difficult to trace him. I plead for help from anyone who has diving skills,” he said.
At the same time, the business community in Narok town is lamenting high losses caused by flash floods last evening.
A walk along the Narok town streets showed traders sweeping debris left by the flash floods in their business premises.
Sayielel Ntobir, a taxi operator in Narok town said he escaped death narrowly when the drainages bust, causing flash floods to flow on the streets in the busy town.
He called on the county government to expand the drainages within the town to accommodate the high volume of water that flows during rainy seasons.
Police have warned the residents against crossing flooded waterways during this rainy season as they risk drowning.
“It is better to get late but arrive safely. The rains are now fond of coming during the afternoon hours hence traders and those in town should be vigilant to avoid losses,” said Kizito.
