Voi River floods leave hundreds homeless

Motorists making their way through a flooded Kilindini road at Bombolulu area in Mombasa.Hundreds of people have been left homeless after the Voi River burst its banks, causing flooding in several villages.

Hundreds of people have been left homeless after the Voi River burst its banks, causing flooding in several villages within the area.

The Kenya Red Cross is on site, conducting search and rescue operations for families affected by the rising waters.

"Voi River burst its banks this morning, causing flooding in villages within Voi town. The Kenya Red Cross is on site, conducting search and rescue operations for families marooned by the rising waters," the organization said on its official X account on Monday, November 4.

The flooding comes as heavy rains have caused damage and disruption in several parts of the coastal region, affecting roads, bridges, farms, and homes.

The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has issued a public notice advising motorists and pedestrians to avoid some sections of the roads that have been submerged or eroded by the floods.

One of the affected areas is the Tana River Bridge, where the river has burst its banks between Madogo Total Station, Mororo, and the bridge.

"The road section between Madogo Town and the bridge is flooded and rapidly eroding, posing the danger of washouts," KeNHA said in a statement.

It also warned the residents to avoid idling near the flooding waters, as there are risks of stray crocodile attacks.

Another area that has been hit hard by the floods is the Mbogolo Bridge along the Mombasa-Malindi Highway in Kilifi County.

The bridge was swept away by the gushing waters on Saturday morning, cutting off the road completely.

The approach road on the Mombasa side was also destroyed by the floods. A section of the highway at Mtondia, a few kilometres from Kilifi Town, was also submerged in water and rendered impassable.

The Kilifi North Police Boss, Kenneth Maina, said the Chinese contractor who is repairing the highway is trying to salvage the situation.

He said the traffic had been temporarily diverted to alternative routes. He also said that travellers are being dropped near the bridge and walking on foot through another bridge that is under construction.

"So far, so good; we don't have any casualties, and we have been able to manage the situation on the ground," said Maina.

The Kenyan Meteorological Department has warned that heavy rainfall is expected to continue in most parts of the country.

At least 20 people have been killed across the coastal region, and thousands more could be affected by the devastating floods that follow years of drought.