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Revealed: Inside man-made gulley near railway that caused Maai Mahiu tragedy

Original source (on modern site)

The raging waters that killed 46 people and left dozens others injured in Maai Mahiu came from a water-filled gulley in Kiambu that flowed down to Naivasha Sub-County, not from a dam, the Water Resources Management Authority (Warma) has said.   

The Nation has established that the waters originated from a gulley near a railway line that was blocked, thus forming a temporary water catchment over time. With the onset of the heavy rains, the gulley burst, leading to water collected flowing to lower-lying areas and leaving behind a trail of death and destruction.

Footage from a drone showed the gulley still had some water flowing on Monday afternoon. The raging waters also appear to have destroyed part of the Nairobi-Nakuru railway line which was swept away.

Warma chief executive Mohamed Shurie told the Nation that the raging waters originated from a deep gulley "formed due to erosion".

"The water did not originate from a known dam, but a deep gulley/valley. The nearest dam is about 15 kilometres away," he said.

He said Environment Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya will issue a detailed statement about the matter on Tuesday.

Survivor of Maai Mahiu tragedy narrates how it happened Aftermath of Kijabe Dam burst in Kamuchiri Village, Mai Mahiu

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