Laikipia, authorities have ramped up efforts to find the body of a sand harvester who was swept away by floodwaters. Laikipia North Deputy County Commissioner Bernard Odino reported that one body was recovered on Wednesday afternoon, while the search for the second victim continues.
According to Kenya News Agency, the incident occurred at the Osupukia River when the water levels rose suddenly due to heavy rains upstream. The two victims were loading sand into a lorry when they, along with the vehicle, were swept away. The driver of the tipper lorry managed to survive by clinging to a tree on the riverbank.
Mr. Odino detailed that the lorry was found 500 meters from the scene, and one loader’s body was recovered about one kilometer away. The search for the second victim, suspected to have been swept downstream to Loisukut lagga, is ongoing. Efforts have been expanded downstream and into tributaries of the river.
The Deputy County Commissioner also mentioned the impact of heavy rains on the region, including disruption to the Nanyuki-Doldol road and the necessity to airlift Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examination (KCSE) papers to schools in the area. He highlighted the absence of a bridge over River Loisukut near Doldol Town, noting the danger of flash floods, as evidenced by a 2016 incident where an ambulance was swept away, with the driver and nurse still missing. The wreckage of the ambulance was found two kilometers from the site.