Tourists were evacuated from Kenya's Maasai Mara national reserve on May 1, 2024, due to heavy rains and flooding that submerged more than a dozen hotels, lodges, and camps within the reserve (AP News, The Guardian). The floodwaters came after a river in the Maasai Mara broke its banks. Tourists were rescued by helicopter as their accommodation facilities were inundated. More than 90 people were rescued by the Kenya Red Cross (AP News, The Guardian).
The flooding was part of a larger weather event that affected various parts of Kenya and caused significant damage to infrastructure and loss of life. According to reports, more than 170 people have died across Kenya since mid-March due to the rainy season (The Guardian). The Meteorological Department warned that more rain was expected in the coming days (AP News, The Guardian).
In Nairobi, three major roads were temporarily closed due to flooding. In Kitengela, a residential area in Nairobi's outskirts, homes were flooded overnight (The Guardian). In Mai Mahiu area in western Kenya, a river broke through a clogged tunnel and swept away houses and damaged roads. The incident left 48 people dead and more than 80 others missing (AP News, The Guardian).
Search and rescue operations were ongoing across the affected areas. President William Ruto ordered the military to join in the search efforts (The Guardian). Locals reported that rescue efforts have been slow due to a lack of equipment to dig through debris (AP News, The Guardian).
