New details have emerged regarding the cause of the deadly flooding in Mai Mahiu that occurred on Monday morning.
Officials have revealed that the flooding was triggered by a blocked railway drainage system, which resulted in the accumulation of water before its wall burst.
Water Resources Management Authority (WARMA) officials clarified that the water did not originate from a dam but rather from a water-filled gulley in Kiambu County, which then flowed down to Naivasha Sub-County.
The water accumulated in the gulley near the railway line due to the blockage, eventually forming a temporary water catchment. When heavy rains persisted, the pressure became too great, causing the gulley to burst and release the collected water downstream.
The area had experienced heavy rainfall on Sunday, particularly in the vicinity and upper regions of Kinale. This excessive rain led to the blockage of the ‘Dark Tunnel,’ a drainage channel along the railway line at Old Kijabe.
“In the current unusual rains, the ‘Dark Tunnel’ – the railway line drainage at Old Kijabe- blocked leading to disastrous accumulation of water that broke the wall causing floods earlier today (Monday),” explained Chege Macharia, the executive director of Kijabe Hospital.
The hospital, situated near the blocked drainage site, bore witness to the devastating impact of the flooding.
The deadly incident resulted in the death of 50 persons from Kianduma village with another more than 100 taken to various hospitals for treatment.
Search and rescue efforts are continuing in the area with fears there may be more bodies trapped under the mud flow.