A helicopter was deployed to rescue staff stranded at the Sunworld-Mara Bush Camp in Maasai Mara on Friday after heavy rainfall flooded the Intiakitiak River, a tributary of the Mara River.
In a video seen by The Kenya Times, two staff members of the luxury camp were captured marooned atop the roof of buildings surrounded by water.
The rooms and premises of the camp were submerged in water, a reflection of the situation in the County that has received heavy rainfall in the past few days.
To their rescue, a Robinson R44 II helicopter landed on the roof, allowing the two workers to escape the marooned premises.
Sunworld-Mara Bush Camp is a luxury eco-lodge and bush camp operated by Sunworld Safaris in the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Narok, Kenya.
It is a small boutique camp with only a few tents that offers high-end safari experiences.
Heavy Rains Affect Tourism
The tourism sector in Mara is now facing the challenge of rising waters that threaten wildlife corridors and lodges.
Due to the continued downpour, the IGAD Climate Prediction and Application Centre (ICPAC) issued flood alerts for southern regions through mid-March.
“There is a likelihood of flooding incidents over the flood-prone areas in southern, central, and northern parts of Kenya, southern Ethiopia, and central to central-northern and pockets in eastern Tanzania,” the ICPAC weekly forecast for March 5-12 stated.
According to the ICPAC, the rainfall in the areas was exceeding the 90th percentile.
In an update on Saturday, the Kenya Meteorological Department reminded the public that the heavy rain advisory issued on March 3 remained in place and would extend through March 9. The advisory warned that moderate to heavy rainfall is expected to continue through the weekend (7th to 8th March 2026), with isolated heavy storms of 40mm to 100 mm in some locations.
Rainfall, kenya Met warned, may persist into early next week, maintaining elevated risks of flooding, landslides, and water contamination.
Also Read: How University Student Saved 39 Tourists; Staff at Maasai Mara
Maasai Mara Flood Incidents
Parks across the country have continued to suffer the ravages of heavy rains during the March, April, and May (MAM) season.
Earlier, the Kenya Wildlife Service warned tourists and tour operators that some roads within national parks and reserves were currently impassable.
In an advisory shared on February 28, KWS urged all visitors to remain on designated roads, avoid flooded roads, and drive cautiously, as road conditions may be extremely slippery.
Also Read: Kenya Met Issues Floods and Landslides Alert
Some roads at the Tsavo East National Park were also rendered impassable in February. Visitors and tour operators were advised that some access routes were impassable due to ongoing heavy rainfall.
In Nairobi, the Kenya Forest Service on Friday announced that rivers flowing through Karura Forest burst their banks, prompting a decision to close down the caves, waterfalls, bridges, and Ruaka picnic site in the Forest.
Heavy rainfall is projected to extend to April as the nation experiences the long rains season.
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