Mystery of missing 40 people in Solai tragedy

Families and friends of the victims of the dam tragedy in Solai, Nakuru, yesterday started the grim process of identifying their bodies ahead of burial.

Some did not find them, raising fears they could still be buried in the mud and debris collected when an estimated 70 million litres of water swept down from Patel Dam, clearing entire neighbourhoods over a two-kilometre radius.

By the end of the day yesterday, there were still 40 people unaccounted for, with the government saying efforts were being made to locate them.

Rift Valley Regional Coordinator Mongo Chimwaga said 23 bodies had been identified out of 45.

MUD AND DEBRIS

“The death toll stands at 45 and we are making efforts to establish where the  missing people are,” said Mr Chimwaga.

As the sun rose for a second day over the villages near Solai shopping centre, hundreds of residents joined the search teams from the Nakuru county government, the Red Cross, the military and volunteers, digging through the mud and debris.

The body of a boy was recovered yesterday taking the death toll to 45.

In Nairobi, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr Noordin Haji, directed the police to investigate the matter, identify those deemed culpable, and hand in a file to him in the next 14 days.

NOT AUTHORISED

In Solai, standing on what is left of the dam, Vinod Jayakumar, a senior manager at the farm, defended his employer, Mr Patel Mansukul, in an interview on Citizen TV, attributing the tragedy to heavy rains and asking residents of villages in the area to pray for the downpour to stop as it is the cause of their woes.

“It is not illegal,” he said of the seven dams that the Water Resources Management Authority says were not sanctioned as they have neither been inspected nor authorised by the government agency.

“It has been there for almost 60 years and the dam which has caused us a problem has been there for almost 20 years. Just because it happened you can’t say it is illegal,” said Mr Jayakumar.

As he spoke, authorities were working on draining two dams near the one that burst as they were found to have cracks.

MORTUARY

At the county and the Nakuru Level Five Hospital mortuaries, friends and families struggled to hold back the grief as they trooped in to identify the bodies of their loved ones.

Twenty nine bodies retrieved from the scene had been taken to the county facility and 16 were at the Nakuru Level Five Hospital.

According to the nurse in charge of the Nakuru Level Five Hospital Mr Alphazard Kemboi, 10 out of 16 bodies taken to the facility had been identified.

Mr Kemboi said 15 of the 18 patients admitted to the hospital had been treated and discharged. One who suffered serious injuries is set to undergo surgery.

At the Nakuru county mortuary, there was confusion and anguish as some of grieving families failed to find bodies of their loved ones.

COUNSELLING

Counselling desks had been set up at the two facilities to help the families cope with trauma.

Like many distressed families, Mr Sammy Rotich arrived at the county mortuary by 7 am to help identify the body of his sister-in-law who died alongside her three children.

He had hopes of tracing the bodies.

“I have gone to the two mortuaries, but I have not seen any of the bodies. Their house was among those which were swept away by the raging waters. I do not know what to do,” grieved Mr Rotich. Ms Margaret Kong’ina found the bodies of her daughter and grandchild but could not find that of her niece in either of the mortuaries. She said her daughter had two children aged six and four who were swept away by the water on Wednesday night.

DOWNSTREAM

“When I saw the destruction caused in the entire village, I got distressed but I waited for the water to subside before I could start looking for my daughter and her children. I began searching at dawn and found bodies of my daughter and grandchild in a ditch about five kilometres downstream,” said Ms Kong'ina.

“I have not found the body of the other child aged six, even after looking for her in the two mortuaries.”

Ms Susan Wanja, who lost her father and nephew also failed to find one body. She said she only managed to identify the body of her father but was yet to identify her nephew.

“I received the information that my village and my entire home had been swept away while I was in Nyeri. I have been able to identify my father, but I’m yet to find the body my nephew,” she said.

Mr Bernard Mureithi said he lost 14 family members and had identified all their bodies.

DISCHARGED

Devastated, Mr Mureithi said all were members of his extended family, mostly cousins and in-laws.

Mr Isaac Mwaniki  learnt that his wife had perished in the tragedy. Their child, 16, survived the tragedy.

“I was at work when the incident occurred. I rushed home and was shocked to see what had happened,” said Mr Mwaniki amid tears.

His wife was overpowered by the water and swept away.

The daughter, who clung on a tree, was rescued, treated at the Nakuru Level Five Hospital and discharged.

“My daughter escaped death by a whisker. She was left with injuries on her legs but for now she is fine,” said Mr Mwaniki.