Floods in Kenya. At least 48 people died. This is some bad dream, the darkest moment

Heavy rainfall caused the town of Mai Mahiu in Kenya to be hit by devastating floods, mudslides and landslides. At least 48 people died as a result of the disaster, the Kenya Red Cross reported on Tuesday. Local authorities said the search for 84 missing people was ongoing.

Residents of Mai Mahiu who survived the disaster said that the floodwaters destroyed everything in their path. It wiped out many houses. Houses and railway tracks were under water, and the streets turned into raging torrents.

– When I opened the door, water rushed into the house and through the kitchen, said Anne Gachie, who lives in Mai Mahiu. – My husband got out, and my daughters, who were in the next room, were carried away from the house by the flood – she added.

Tabitha Wanja lost eight family members, including her seven-month-old niece. – It's a bad dream, we lost almost all our family members. This is the darkest moment for us, she said, then burst into tears.

– My youngest daughter was holding on to my back while we were in the water. She begged me not to leave her. I calmed her down and asked her to hold on to the floating debris. Unfortunately, she is gone now. My eldest daughter is in hospital in Maai Mahiu, and the rest of the children, I don't know, said Mary Mwangi, who survived the flood.

At least 169 people have died in the floods that have hit Kenya since last month. More than 190,000 people had to leave their homes, including 147,000 in the capital, Nairobi.

The forecasts are not optimistic, as rainfall will occur in several regions of the country in the coming days.

Devastating floods also hit Tanzania and Burundi. The disaster forced hundreds of thousands of people there to evacuate. According to scientists, flash floods are related to climate change and rising average air temperatures around the world.