Maasai Mara is flooded. Maasai Mara, which is arguably Kenya’s most popular national reserve, has been affected adversely by heavy rains. The dangerous flooding of the Maasai Mara began on Tuesday, May 2nd.
Although Kenya has been hit by torrents of unprecedented heavy rains in the past several weeks, the flooding in the Maasai Mara was beyond anticipation. The floods caught everyone unawares when the banks of River Talek suddenly broke.
Talek is a tributary of the biggest river passing through the animal reserve, River Mara. River Mara has five tributaries, and two of them are perennial.
The Talek River is among the seasonal ones, but when it has water, it harbors all kinds of animals. These include crocodiles, hippopotamuses, and even birds.
Relief as Tourists Evacuated to Safety
The Kenyan government had to evacuate tourists and other residents out of the Maasai Mara national reserve to safeguard their lives.
The Maasai Mara is a very popular destination for international tourists, and this year was no exception.
There were hundreds of tourists at the animal reserve, but only those in flooded camps were in danger. The number of affected tourist camps were 14, and slightly more than 60 people needed to be evacuated.
The Kenyan government, with the help of Kenya Red Cross, evacuated 36 individuals by air, and 25 by road. Two helicopters were available for the evacuation mission.
How Floods Affected Hotels and Lodges in the Maasai Mara
There are more than 100 hotels and lodges in the Maasai Mara National Reserve, and more than a dozen of them were submerged in the Tuesday floods. Luckily, everyone who needed to be evacuated received timely help, and no serious injuries or fatalities were reported.
Unfortunately, a good part of the infrastructure within the national reserve will require rebuilding, as the flooding caused a lot of damage. This observation was made by the County Police Commissioner for Narok, Reuben Kipkoech Lotiatia.
Meanwhile, narrating their scary experience, the tourists reported that the Talek gate was heavily flooded. The Talek gate is one of the major entrances to the Maasai Mara.
Is the Maasai Mara Still Safe?
Although the people who were in immediate danger at the Maasai Mara were evacuated, the remaining people were advised to leave.
There is no way of telling if another Mara tributary will overflow or burst its banks in the coming days. For this reason, the County Commissioner has instructed the people within the reserve to relocate to safer areas.
Kenya Government Sets Aside One Billion Shillings to Mitigate Flood-related Challenges
The government of Kenya has offered to render assistance to anyone in need of evacuation and relocation.
This week, Kenya’s Deputy President, Rigathi Gachagua, disclosed that the government is prepared to finance the evacuation of those affected by the ongoing rains.
He said the government has earmarked a billion shillings for that purpose, and offering the people utility services. The deputy indicated that the government is mostly targeting the people in Kenya’s arid and semi-arid areas.
Meanwhile, in Narok County, Commissioner Lotiatia has threatened to take action against anyone resisting warranted relocation. He specifically mentioned the people still remaining in the Maasai Mara lodges and the surrounding homes.
Since Narok County is a flood-risk area, the government has dispatched groups from the National Youth Service Corps to help out. These youthful individuals from the Paramilitary Academy have been charged with assisting in search and rescue operations in the county.