Officials in Kenya say a dam has burst overnight after heavy rain, causing “huge destruction” and killing at least 20 people.
The breach happened in the town of Solai, 190km (120 miles) north-west of the capital, Nairobi.
The Kenyan Red Cross says it has rescued 39 people so far.
Hundreds of people are said to have been left homeless. Local officials say the full extent of the damage is not yet clear.
39 people taken to hospital last night after Patel Dam in Subukia, Nakuru County, broke its banks affecting nearby villages. Search and rescue efforts by County Government, Kenya #RedCross Society and @Ems_Kenya ongoing.
— Kenya Red Cross (@KenyaRedCross) May 10, 2018
“The water has caused huge destruction of both life and property. The extent of the damage has yet to be ascertained,” said Lee Kinyajui, governor of Nakuru county.
Locals told Kenya’s Daily Nation that they had heard an “explosion” from the Patel Dam before water started pouring out, sweeping hundreds of homes before it.
A search-and-rescue operation is under way as several people are feared to be trapped in thick mud which spewed from the reservoir, spreading over a radius of almost two kilometres.
The toll now brings to 152 the number of people who have died countrywide as a result of floods since heavy rains started in March, according to Kenya’s Capital FM radio website.
BBC