Two dead in Coast region in aftermath of Cyclone Ialy
Volunteers help clear the road in the Mbaraki area of Mombasa County after strong winds brought down trees on Tuesday. No casualties were reported in the incident.
Tragedy has struck parts of the coastal counties as Cyclone Ialy wreaked havoc, claiming two lives and injuring six others.
The cyclone, which intensified from an initial tropical storm on Tuesday evening, brought strong winds, rain and high waves to the Indian Ocean.
Police in Kilifi confirmed the death of a four-year-old schoolgirl after strong winds tore off the roof of an ECDE classroom, while a godown worker died after a wall collapsed.
According to a police report seen by the Nation, strong winds since Tuesday blew off the godown wall of Salima Gasses Kenya Limited, where gas cylinders were stored.
Two employees were injured by falling stones and one died while receiving treatment at Rabai Sub-county Hospital in Kilifi County.
The other worker was later transferred to Mombasa Hospital for further treatment.
Another tragic incident was reported from Gogoraruhe village in Mbalamweni sub-location, Kayafungo location, Kilifi County.
The cyclone destroyed the roof of Gogoraruhe Mosque ECDE School, injuring five pupils.
The injured children were rushed to Mariakani Sub-county Hospital for treatment, where the four-year-old girl tragically succumbed to her injuries while undergoing treatment.
The other four pupils sustained head and limb injuries and are still receiving treatment.
Incident is being investigated
The incident is being investigated by authorities at Gotani police station in Kaloleni sub-county, Kilifi.
Kilifi North Deputy County Commissioner Samuel Mutisya confirmed that several schools in the county were affected by strong winds.
"The wind has blown off the roofs of several schools and we are appealing to teachers not to allow pupils to learn in dilapidated classrooms with loose roofs," he said.
Mr Mutisya urged teachers to be careful when releasing pupils to play to avoid unexpected accidents.
The strong winds in the Coast region have also left residents stranded and facing disruptions to essential services such as electricity and water supply.
In an official communication to its customers, the Coast Water Works Development Agency (CWDA) informed the public of an interruption in water supply affecting Kilifi and Mombasa counties following power cuts caused by the destruction of power cables by falling trees.
In the statement, the agency said the Baricho Water Works had been experiencing erratic power supply since 16:30 on Tuesday, leading to the disruption of water supply.
By Wednesday afternoon, several parts of Mombasa and Kilifi were still without power.
The Kenya Meteorological Department said that the initial tropical storm, Ialy, had intensified into a tropical cyclone and was positioned close to the Kenyan coast in an unprecedented way. The cyclone was expected to dissipate by Wednesday.
