NAIROBI (KAAB TV) – Air and water operations are underway to save scores of people stranded in their houses in the Nyando district of western Kenya due to the ongoing rains.
On Saturday, the Nyando River overflowed its banks, drowning numerous villages and impeding traffic on the Kisumu-Nairobi highway.
Local media reported that more than 1,000 households had left their houses.
The extent of the damage is unknown at this time, however local police report that the water level continues to rise.
A joint team of the Kenya Red Cross, Kenya Coast Guard, and Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) is accessing the flooded settlements by boats and aircraft.
A Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) helicopter is transferring the rescued people by plane, as it is suspected that many families had spent the night in the affected areas.
This difficulty arises as the government evacuates a large number of people from flood-prone regions.
On Monday, President William Ruto said that the government will compensate each affected family $70 (£60) to assist them in finding alternate accommodation for three months.
Floods have claimed 228 lives across the country since March, with 72 people still missing, according to government statistics.
Cyclone Hidaya, which weakened after making landfall on Saturday, did not cause significant damage to neighbouring Kenya and Tanzania.