A dam collapsed in western Kenya early Monday, killing at least 40 people after a wall of water swept through houses and cut off a major road, the police said.
The collapse of the Old Kijabe Dam, in the Mai Mahiu area of the Great Rift Valley region that is prone to flash floods, sent water spilling downstream, carrying with it mud, rocks and uprooted trees, a police official, Stephen Kirui, said.
Vehicles were entangled in the debris on the roads, and paramedics treated the injured as waters submerged large areas.
The rains in Kenya have caused flooding that has already killed nearly 100 people and postponed the opening of schools.
Heavy rains have been pounding the country since mid-March, and the Meteorology Department has warned of more rainfall.
Persons:
Stephen Kirui
Organizations:
Vehicles, Meteorology Department
Locations:
Kenya, Mai