Three bodies have been retrieved in a flooded area within Kona Punda along Garissa – Madogo road where a boat carrying 41 passengers capsized Sunday evening.
The incident, occurring around 6:30 pm, posed significant challenges to the rescue efforts of the Kenya Red Cross, Garissa, and Tana River counties as darkness descended.
Despite the difficult conditions, 22 individuals were successfully rescued.
Following the closure of the affected road section connecting Madogo and Garissa, locals turned to boats for transportation, albeit at a significantly higher cost.
With boats charging Ksh 1500 for a journey typically priced at Ksh 30 by public service vehicles, overcrowding became a concern.
Reports suggest that the ill-fated boat was overloaded with at least 45 passengers at the time of the accident.
Madogo police have cordoned off the area, restricting access due to safety concerns.
The heavy rains, causing the Tana River to overflow, have exacerbated the situation, leading to widespread flooding in the region.
Furthermore, the Garissa-Nairobi highway has been severed by the floods at Madogo, prompting the rise of the boat transportation business as an alternative means of travel.
The Garissa-Nairobi highway was cut off by the raging floods at Madogo, leading to the booming boat business.
