Wycliffe MuiaBBC News, Nairobi 1 May 2024, 13:32 BST
Updated 7 minutes ago
Image source, Narok County Government
image captionThe Tarek River bursts its banks, flooding the game reserve
Tourists and staff have been evacuated from Kenya’s popular Masai Mara game reserve after parts of it were submerged by flooding.
More than a dozen lodges and camps were flooded after the nearby Talek River burst its banks on Tuesday.
There are also concerns that some animals may have been washed away in the intense floods.
The region’s police chief, Kipkoech Lotiatia, told the BBC that the reserve had been badly damaged.
“The water has receded, but some lodges and camps are still submerged,” Lotiatia said.
It is unclear how many people are trapped in the reserve, but about 36 people have been rescued by air and a further 25 by boat rescue teams, the Kenya Red Cross said.
“Tents in some camps were washed away, and the Mara Bridge, which connects the Mara Triangle to the Great Mara River, was washed away,” the aid agency said. Added to X’s post.
Local official Stephen Nacora told AFP news agency that about 100 tourists were stranded.
Many foreign and local tourists visit the reserve to see wildlife such as lions, leopards, and cheetahs.
Lotiatia told reporters earlier that rescue teams were using two emergency helicopters to evacuate tourists and workers.
Masai Mara management did not immediately respond to the BBC’s request for comment.
The Talek River burst its banks on Tuesday afternoon after heavy rains upstream.
The situation has worsened due to water flowing from the Mara River near the Serengeti-Tanzania border after several days of rain.
“Several days of rain has caused rivers to swell, affecting several camps and areas within the Masai Mara National Reserve,” the local Narok district government said in a statement.
Roads and bridges have also been submerged by the raging waters, impacting local communities.
Talek Gate, one of the main routes out of the game reserve, is said to have suffered extensive flooding.
President William Ruto has ordered Kenyans living in areas at risk of flooding and landslides to evacuate.
This year’s rainy season has been devastating, with around 180 people dead and 90 missing after weeks of flooding.
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