More than 20 people are feared dead after a boat ferrying 53 locals capsized on Sunday evening along the Garissa- Madogo road.

Confirming the incident, Former Isiolo Deputy Governor Simba Guleid said those on board were mainly women and children.

Further, he revealed that 16 people had been rescued.

“37 people are missing,” he said.

According to the government, floods have claimed over 80 lives nationwide since March, displacing over 20,000.

Witnesses said passengers resorted to the boat due to an impassable Garissa-Mororo Road.

Recent Tana and Athi Rivers Development Authority warnings about the Masinga Dam spillage prompted evacuation advisories.

Despite efforts, over 2,000 families in Mororo and Hatata villages are homeless.

The region’s plight reflects the broader impact of intensified rainfall linked to the El Nino weather pattern, with flash floods displacing over 130,000 people across 24,000 households.