Samburu has been hit by a massive flood which has destroyed six lodges and the Save The Elephants research camp. The wreckage is unbelievable. There have been no reports of casualties and the Ewaso Lions team is ok.
Around 5am this morning, a giant flashflood came down the Ewaso Nyiro river, washing away lodges and camps. Our friends at Elephant Watch and Save The Elephants managed to reach high ground, but the camps were wiped out.
Elsewhere, people were on treetops and roofs waiting for help. The British Army, Tropic Air, and others spent the day evacuating people out of the area.
Our camp is far enough from the river so that it survived. Several people from the reserve, who have nowhere else to go, have come to our camp for the night. I don’t know what will happen next.
What’s especially frightening is that a lot more rain is expected.
The drought was bad, but this is truly devastating. Samburu will need a lot of help. Please keep watching the blog; we’ll post more soon. For more updates, see our Twitter page: http://twitter.com/EwasoLions
One of the lodges in the flooded Ewaso Nyiro river. Photo by Heritage Hotels Kenya.
3 Comments
What I have been musing about is the animals. Everyone – rightfully – will be hurrying to evacuate personnel. But after that, the other (in my humble opinion) main collateral becomes the animals. After a devastating drought, this was the last thing we needed.
Businesses will incur losses running into millions, and from the pictures we got earlier, it will take quite sometime before damages are accessed, repaired and we’re back to ‘normal’.
*Thanks for sharing the pix.
Regards,
Ndeithi
Hi Ndeithi. See our latest post. Many dead animals have been found – mainly dik diks and babies who got caught in the flash flood. We will keep you posted when we learn of the lions.
I was in complete shock when I first heard the news!!! It hasn’t worn off yet. This is very, very devastating! I am so sorry. Thank goodness no one is seriously injured or has died. I do feel bad for those poor defenseless animals that got caught in the flood and could not escape with their lives.
Please know my thoughts are with you all during this very difficult time. Stay safe and alert!
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[...] Ewaso Lions blog writes: Around 5am this morning [4 March], a giant flashflood came down the Ewaso Nyiro river, [...]