NAIROBI, (Reuters) – The death toll from heavy rains and flooding in Kenya’s capital Nairobi and elsewhere has nearly ​doubled to 42, the government said in a ‌statement issued late on Sunday.

Intense rains on Friday unleashed heavy and widespread flooding, causing some people to drown, washing away vehicles ​and disrupting traffic at the country’s largest airport.

The ​previous death toll was 23.

Emergency workers from various ⁠agencies including the military were still conducting search ​and rescue operations across the country, Geoffrey Kiringa Ruku, ​minister for public service and human capital development said in the statement.

“Search mission is still in progress by the multi agency emergency ​response teams with the aim of ensuring that ​bodies of all the flood victims are found and retrieved,” he ‌said.

The ⁠floods had also done extensive damage to infrastructure and livelihoods. But 172 vehicles that had been swept away by flood waters have been recovered.

On Saturday, President William ​Ruto said he ​had ordered relief ⁠food from the country’s national strategic reserves be immediately released for distribution to families ​affected by the floods.

Scientists say global warming ​is ⁠worsening floods and droughts across East Africa by concentrating rainfall into shorter, more intense bursts. A 2024 World Weather ⁠Attribution ​study found climate change had made ​devastating rains in the region twice as likely as before.

Source: Reuters