Policeman killed, seven missing after being swept by floods in Baringo County

A police officer was Thursday night killed and seven others are missing after they were swept by floods in Chemoe area, Baringo County.

The officers were a team that was leaving a meeting in Kabarnet and were driving to their camp in Chemoe when their lorry was swept by the floods. Four managed to swim through the floods and were saved.

A search for the missing officers is ongoing in the area. It had rained elsewhere, and floods were sweeping downstream when the incident happened.

A team was dispatched from neigbouring police stations and Nairobi to back up in the search.

The deceased was in the company of 10 other officers when their Isuzu lorry was swept away.

On Wednesday, Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa said that 116 people have died in floods in the country.

He said  at least 29 counties had been affected with 10,000 families displaced.

Wamalwa said 40,000 bags of rice had been dispatched to help affected families.

The weatherman has warned of heavy rains across different parts of the country that are likely to continue until June.

Last week, the state pledged to give Sh50,000 to each and every family that lost loved ones during landslides and flash floods in Chesegon along the Marakwet-Pokot border.