Nairobi — The death toll from flooding in Samburu rose to nine after three herders were swept away by River Ewaso Nyiro.

Five herders tried to cross the swollen river on Monday night to take their livestock to market. Only two swam back to safety.

In Baringo, three more people were swept away by raging floods.

Meanwhile, more than 3,000 displaced families in transit camps in the North Rift are at risk of contracting waterborne diseases as floods continue to wreak havoc there.

Kenya Red Cross Society North Rift manager Patrick Nyongesa, said that the internal refugees were in urgent need of shelter, water purifiers and food.

At the same time, 93 people have died and more than 60,000 displaced by floods in various parts of the country in the last three months, the Red Cross says. The floods had also killed 1,800 goats and sheep.

Red Cross public relations communications officer Nelly Muluka said the floods had also damaged schools and houses in Tana River, upper Eastern and parts of Nyanza province.

Up to 20 bridges in the North Rift had been damaged and "more than 6,000 tonnes of non-food items and over 90 metric tonnes of cereals have been distributed," Ms Muluka said.

Engineers have been sent to repair some of the damaged bridges linking Kitale to Turkana district, District Commissioner Joseph Kanyiri said.

In Teso, more than 2,000 people have been displaced and crops submerged by heavy rains.

"The most affected areas are Asinge, Akirian and Amairo villages where villagers had been forced to seek refuge in high areas and most of them are staying with their relatives," senior district officer Celestine Owiti said.

Red Cross society's Busia branch co-ordinator Nichodemus Okango said they will be giving blankets, mosquito nets and utensils to families before the week's end."

In Budalang'i, the River Nzoia water level had started to stabilise.

Dr Joseph Mukabana, the director of Meteorological Services said heavy rains are expected to continue countrywide.

Reports by Walter Menya, Hassan Huka, Ouma Wanzala, Wycliff Kipsang and Barnabas Bii