TANA RIVER, Kenya, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Two children are missing after a rescue boat they were in capsized in Tana River County in coastal Kenya on Friday evening.
Tana River County Red Cross Coordinator Gerald Bombe confirmed on Saturday that the boat was ferrying people from Galili village when it lost control at Idsowe Bridge due to high waves.
The boat that had been in a rescue operations since Friday morning was carrying about 15 people after heavy rainfall caused the river to overflow, prompting the displacement.
A county official who did not wish to be named said the coxswain might have been inexperienced.
Tana River County and Kenya Red Cross officials have been evacuating people in Tana Delta area for the last three weeks due to heavy rains pounding the area.
"The people were headed to safety but the water became very rough as it moved fast. With the boat moving in the opposite direction, it overturned due to strong currents," said Bombe.
The county government boats had been evacuating sick villagers, the elderly, expectant mothers and children. Expert divers have also been deployed to help with the search of the two missing children in the crocodile-infested river.
Bombe said there was hope of finding one of the missing children alive as the girl who was rescued and resuscitated told the team that her sister managed to get to a tree along the river bank.
Meanwhile, the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) team has rescued over 1,000 people after River Sabaki in neighboring Kilifi County burst its banks causing floods.
KDF spokesman David Obonyo said the locals were airlifted from danger zones.