All public and private dams and water reservoirs must be inspected by County Security and Intelligence Committees (CSICs) nationwide by 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, per government directive.
On Monday, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki gave the committees instructions to suggest situations in which orders for forced relocation and mandatory evacuation should be issued.
This follows the events of Monday morning, when a dam in Mai Mahiu, Nakuru County, burst its banks, destroying houses and cars and killing over forty-two people.
According to the Red Cross, the floodwaters came from a nearby river that burst its banks due to intense rains.
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To stop drivers and pedestrians from riskily crossing the bridge, the interior minister instructed counties to send out enforcement teams to areas of the road that are prone to flooding and where water has flooded the bridge.
“… arrest and prosecute offenders for attempted suicide and/or attempted murder as the facts of the case may be,” Kindiki said.
Further, the enforcement teams will bar transportation of passengers across flooded rivers or storm water by canoes or boats deemed unsafe.
“Prevent the transportation of passengers across flooded rivers or storm water by unsafe canoes or boats and arrest inexperienced and unscrupulous persons taking advantage of the prevailing situation to cash in on persons in distress,” the minister added.
Following the 4 a.m. dam burst incident, approximately 100 people were rescued and treated at Mai Mahiu health center, according to police, while 32 others were referred to Naivasha sub-county hospital.
The incident increased the number of people who have perished in flooding caused by the heavy rains that have been falling over most of Kenya since March to over 100.
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