STORY: Flash floods kill at least 13 people in Kenya, displace nearly 15,000 others: UN
SHOOTING TIME: April 15, 2024
DATELINE: April 17, 2024
LENGTH: 00:03:11
LOCATION: Nairobi
CATEGORY: OTHERS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of flooded areas in western Kenya
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Swahili): MAUREEN ADHIAMBO, Resident in Kisumu
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): KEVIN KISERA, Resident in Kisumu
4. various of flooded areas in western Kenya

STORYLINE:

Heavy rains and ensuing flash flooding have left at least 13 people killed and nearly 15,000 others displaced across Kenya, said the United Nations humanitarian agency.
   
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the last week of March marked the beginning of the rainy season (March to May). Its heavy rains and floods have caused increased water levels in rivers, infrastructure damage, livestock and property losses, and limited road access in various regions of Kenya.
   
OCHA, which cited reports from the Kenyan authorities and the Kenya Red Cross Society, said that areas of particular concern include counties in the northern, central, western and eastern parts of the country.
   
Following intense March 15 rains and flooding that submerged homes in informal settlements, the UN reported that at least 11 people died and 9,000 were displaced in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.

On April 8, two people, including a minor, drowned at a rock catchment dam in Muranga County, central Kenya. Another person was still missing when a river flooded in Kitui County, eastern Kenya.
   
In Kisumu County, western Kenya, affected families who relocated from Nyando Sub-County said that they had to find alternative shelter after their homes were submerged in water a week ago.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Swahili) MAUREEN ADHIAMBO, Resident in Kisumu
"When it rains hard, it floods a lot. As you can see even now, kids don't have good sleep. We sleep on donated chairs. Cooking is a challenge, too. We use firewood for cooking, but the rain has also rendered them wet. What can I do now?"

SOUNDBITE 2 (English) KEVIN KISERA, Resident in Kisumu
"We are the victims of the flood today. It's not the first time the floods are affecting us. We request the national government in partnership with the county government to fast construct the Koru-Soin Dam to contain some water so that the effects of these floods can be reduced."

"Humanitarian partners are moving emergency shelter and non-food items to regions at risk of flooding while working with authorities to assess the needs alongside scaling up response to affected communities," OCHA said in its Flash Update issued in Nairobi.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Nairobi.
(XHTV)