At least 27 people have been killed and hundreds more forced to flee after a dam burst in Kenya following weeks of heavy rain.
Water burst through the banks of the Patel Dam in Solai, Nakuru county, 120 miles northwest of Nairobi, late on Wednesday, sweeping away hundreds of homes which border the reservoir.
"The water has caused huge destruction of both life and property," Lee Kinyajui, governor of Nakuru, said in a statement. "The extent of the damage has yet to be ascertained."
Rongai police chief Joseph Kioko said 27 bodies were recovered, but there were still "many people" missing. Kenya Red Cross said it had taken 39 people to hospital.
Many are feared to be trapped after officials said water and mud spilled out of the reservoir and submerged homes, extending to a radius of more than a mile.
The dam is reportedly owned by prominent irrigation farmer Mansukul Patel.
People at a shopping centre in Solai told local media they heard an explosion before seeing a mass of water moving their way.
Kenya, like other countries in East Africa, has experienced heavy rain over the past two months. The government said on Wednesday the rain had killed 132 people and displaced 222,456 people in 32 counties since March.
But forecasters have warned more rain is expected over the coming days.
Additional reporting by Reuters
