Taita floods: Bodies of missing children retrieved from dam

Search teams have recovered the bodies of the remaining two missing children who were among four family members swept away by flash floods last Sunday night in Kironge village, Taita Taveta County. 

The two bodies were found in Mwatate dam on Thursday morning after an extensive search and rescue operation. The body of a two-year-old girl was recovered from the dam at 9am, while that of a 10-year-old boy was found an hour later.

A heavily pregnant mother and her three children were swept away from their home by the floods in an incident on Sunday night that left many in shock.

One of the children, aged six, was found on Sunday night after the rains had subsided and their mother was found on Tuesday at the dam.

Family, friends and neighbours who had camped on the banks of the dam broke down in tears as the bodies were recovered.

A multi-agency operation to recover the bodies was launched on Sunday night under the leadership of Mwatate Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) Margaret Mwaniki. 

The search operation involved dredging around the dam and a surface search for the victims in the water.

The DCC confirmed that all the bodies of the missing family had been recovered. 

"We are grateful to the search team for camping here for the past three days. It is a sad incident but we are relieved that the bodies have been recovered," she said.

Ms Mwaniki told Nation.Africa that all the bodies have been preserved at the Moi County Referral Hospital mortuary in Voi.

"The exercise is now complete and we are now handing over the bodies to the family to prepare for burial," she said.

The deceased woman's father, Rashid Mwamidi, said they would now begin burial preparations for his daughter and grandchildren. 

"This is a difficult time for everyone involved; us the family, friends and the whole village. It is a moment of deep sorrow for us," he said. 

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