It was a tragic weekend on the Kenyan coast due to strong winds, which had been widely forecast by the national meteorological department and county authorities.
Between Mombasa and Lamu, in particular, dozens of people are reported missing at sea. These are fishermen who, heedless of warnings (and in the case of Mombasa, a ban) not to go out to sea, have not returned to shore. The Kenyan coast guard has already reported three boats found without crew and dozens missing, but between Lamu and Kilifi there are believed to be many more boats, including smaller ones, that have not returned to their respective moorings, with families worried. A Red Cross unit also participated in the rescue operations and reported that several fishermen had been rescued in Mnarani off Kilifi and in Mutuni Bay in Lamu.
The wind, which is expected to ease today, is not only a threat at sea but also along the coastal strip, where many trees have been uprooted and some have fallen on power lines, causing long blackouts and forcing Kenya Power & Lightning technicians to work overtime. Between Mombasa and Kilifi, scaffolding at construction sites with buildings under construction also collapsed. Fortunately, apart from a few minor injuries, there were no reports of casualties.
There were also no casualties in the tragic fire at the Marina restaurant in Watamu, which was unfortunately completely destroyed. The restaurant was closed at the time of the fire, so it was not in operation that caused the flames, while the wind and the makuti roof certainly spread the fire, which fortunately was brought under control before it spread to other adjacent structures. In Mombasa, Governor Nassir announced the continuation of the suspension of maritime activities, both commercial and recreational, to avoid accidents at sea. In addition, he also announced a temporary suspension of construction activities due to the high risk posed by wind hazards, ordering contractors to secure their construction sites adequately. Nassir pledged to provide daily updates on the situation to keep the public and stakeholders informed of any changes or further directives.