By Bosire Nyairo
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
"Our assessment is one person died in Northeastern province and 10 in Eastern," a Kenyan Red Cross spokeswoman said.
Earlier this month the charity appealed for $7-million (about R-million ) for flood relief, and she said it would now need more than that.
So far, the appeal had only raised about $70 000, she said.
A Kenyan government minister gave a lower overall death toll, saying 20 people had died since the floods began. He said the authorities were working with the United Nations to deliver emergency aid and move affected communities to higher ground.
"Our estimation is that 20 people have died so far," said Wario Ali, an assistant minister for special programmes. He said the government had spent $3 million so far on relief operations.
The situation is worse in Somalia, where more people have lost their homes but security problems have restricted efforts by aid agencies to help them.
"In some areas people are sitting on dykes, completely surrounded by water and have no access to drinking water and food," the International Committee of the Red Cross said.
In a statement on Wednesday, it said it was airlifting tarpaulins to 350 000 Somalis in the worst affected areas.
Weather experts expect the rains to continue into January.
Source: Reuters, Nov 29, 2006