By Louis Mian, Larry Madowo and Irene Nasser, CNN
(CNN) — The death toll due to floods in Kenya has risen to 76, with 29 people injured and 19 still missing, a government spokesperson said as authorities ordered more evacuations of people from at-risk areas due to ongoing heavy rainfall.
This comes after Kenyan President William Ruto announced Thursday that he had authorized emergency crews to evacuate people living along riverbanks and other affected areas forcibly. “Unfortunately, we will have to move some of them even without them agreeing, because otherwise, they put themselves in danger,” Ruto said.
According to the Red Cross, 26 of Kenya’s 47 counties have been affected by the flooding.
On Thursday, the Kenya Meteorological Department issued an advisory, explaining that heavy rainfall will continue in several parts of Kenya, including Nairobi, although the intensity is likely to reduce on Sunday.
The flooding in East Africa has also affected Tanzania and Burundi. Tanzanian Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa said on Thursday that at least 155 people have been killed by flooding in the country.
CNN’s Robert Shackelford contributed to this report.
The-CNN-Wire
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