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Climate change's economical impacts
Johannesburg — Tourists were evacuated by chopper connected Wednesday from Kenya's Maasai Mara National Reserve arsenic devastating flooding successful nan eastbound African federation deed nan renowned wildlife sanctuary. More than 14 tourer camps were flooded, pinch tents being swept distant arsenic nan Talek stream burst its banks Tuesday afternoon.
The Kenyan Red Cross said successful a connection posted connected societal media that it had rescued 36 group by aerial and 25 others by ground.
Tour operators said nan Talek gate, 1 of nan park's entrances, was near impassable by nan floodwaters and visitors were still waiting to beryllium evacuated by helicopter.
- Kenyan leader vows to thief "victims of ambiance change" amid deadly floods
Tour driver Felix Migoya told Kenya's The Standard newspaper that some visitors and section unit were forced to climb trees Tuesday nighttime to fly nan surging waters arsenic their camps were submerged.
A lodge is seen submerged successful this aerial position of nan flooded Maasai Mara National Reserve, which near dozens of visitors stranded successful Narok County, Kenya, May 1, 2024.
Bobby Neptune/AP
Meteorologists person warned that dense rains will proceed to batter nan region successful nan coming days. Scenes of utter devastation proceed to unfold arsenic houses, schools and full villages are swept away.
In Kenya, nan decease toll from weeks of flooding had reached 181 by Wednesday, according to authorities officials and nan Red Cross, and galore much group were still missing. Conservationists fearfulness galore animals person been swept distant successful nan flooding, too.
The floods, triggered by unusually dense seasonal rains and compounded by nan El Nino upwind phenomenon, person affected a immense swath of East Africa, sidesplitting dozens much group successful neighboring Tanzania and astatine slightest a fistful successful Ethiopia.
Search and rescue and removal efforts proceed astatine Mai Mahiu and Naivasha districts aft a reservoir burst near astatine slightest 47 group dormant successful Nakuru County, Kenya, April 29, 2024.
Gerald Anderson/Anadolu/Getty
Roads, bridges and different captious infrastructure person been swept distant and nan authorities has been criticized complete slow rescue efforts.
As nan h2o continues to rise, rescue workers pinch nan Red Cross and nan National Youth Service continued to instrumentality retired searching for bodies Wednesday arsenic bulldozers scooped distant mud and debris.
At shelters for those displaced by nan floods, galore group worried astir loved ones still missing, past seen being washed distant by nan torrents.
Kenyan President William Ruto gestures while visiting an area wherever floodwater washed distant houses and group successful Kamuchiri Village, Nakuru County, Kenya, April 30, 2024.
Brian Inganga/AP
President William Ruto, who's called those affected by nan floods "victims of climate change," has ordered nan subject to subordinate successful nan hunt and rescue efforts. He visited flooded areas Wednesday and promised nan authorities would rebuild homes, but he warned residents, "rain is going to continue, and nan likelihood of flooding and group losing lives is real, truthful we must return preventive action."
He urged anyone still successful "fragile areas that are prone to landslides and flooding" to evacuate to higher ground.
- In:
- Climate Change
- Africa
- Kenya
- Severe Weather
- Flooding
- Flood
