NAKURA DAM

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Picture Courtesy: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/world/kenya-why-did-the-nakuru-dam-burst-channel-blocked-by-rain-swept-debris-the-reason-says-government-95911

Context: The Nakuru dam in Kenya cracked due to a blockage in the tunnel that carries water to the Tongi River caused by rain-swept debris.

Key Highlights

• The Nakuru dam in Kenya cracked due to a blockage in the tunnel that transports water to the Tongi River, which was caused by severe rainfall and debris, stones, and soil.
• The tragedy claimed the lives of at least 45 people, most of them were children, women, and elderly men. Floodwaters damaged the affected area, destroying houses, crops, and infrastructure.

The dam failure occurred following heavy rains, which caused a river tunnel under a railway embankment to become blocked with debris. This blockage led to a buildup of water behind the dam, ultimately resulting in its collapse and the ensuing flood downstream.

About Kenya

• Kenya is bordered by five countries:
  • Somalia to the northeast
  • Ethiopia to the north
  • South Sudan to the northwest
  • Uganda to the west
  • Tanzania to the south
• The Indian Ocean to the southeast provides Kenya with a coastline.
• The climate varies widely from tropical along the coast to temperate inland and arid in the north and northeast.
• Physical Features
  • Mount Kenya: Africa's second-highest mountain, with diverse ecosystems.
  • Great Rift Valley: A geological fault line stretching from northern Kenya to Mozambique, characterized by lakes, mountains, and volcanoes.
• Kenya is renowned for its wildlife habitats, including the Masai Mara, where annual migrations of wildebeest and zebras occur.
• The "Big Five" game animals—lion, leopard, buffalo, rhinoceros, and elephant—can be found in Kenya's national parks and reserves.
• Water bodies:
  • Lake Victoria: The second-largest freshwater lake in the world (shared with Uganda and Tanzania).
  • Lake Turkana: The world's largest permanent desert lake (shared with Ethiopia).
  • Lake Nakuru: A lake famous for its flamingo population.
• Kenya's economy is the second largest in eastern and central Africa, after Ethiopia, with Nairobi serving as a major regional commercial hub.
• Kenya is a member of various international organizations, including the United Nations, Commonwealth, World Bank, IMF, and World Trade Organization.
• Kenya has a rich mix of ethnicities, with Bantu, Nilotic, and Cushitic groups making up the vast majority.
  • Bantu: The largest group, primarily farmers, including Kikuyu, Luhya, Kamba, Kisii, Meru, and Mijikenda.
  • Nilotic: The second-largest group, historically pastoralists, including Luo, Maasai, Samburu, Iteso, Turkana, and Kalenjin.
  • Cushitic: A smaller minority, mainly herders and Muslims, concentrated in the northeast near Somalia, including Somali and Oromo groups.
  • Minorities: Asians (mainly Indian), Europeans (mainly British descent), and Arabs also contribute to Kenya's population.

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GREAT RIFT VALLEY

Source:

Down To Earth

Wikipedia

PRACTICE QUESTION Q. The Nakuru dam recently cracked due to a blockage in the tunnel that transports water to the Tongi River. In which country is the Nakuru Dam located? A) Kenya B) South Africa C) Ethiopia D) Nigeria Answer: A