The Kenya Meteorological Department has moved in to unravel the mystery behind the ‘black rain’ that has been pounding parts of Nakuru and Baringo counties.
Over the weekend, soot-coloured rainwater was reported in Tenges, Kapkayo and Sacho in Baringo County and Ndege Ndimu, Ahero and Njoro in Nakuru County.
Locals interviewed said they woke up to find black water in their tanks and other containers and if undisturbed for minutes, the water would sediment to fine charcoal-like particles.
Lanet’s Ndege Ndimu Location chief Mr Peter Karanja ruled out dirty roofing as the region has been receiving rains for the last few weeks with no such occurrence.
The chief linked the ‘black rain’ to human activities that release pollutants into the atmosphere altering the ozone layer, probably in other African countries or continents.
Principal Meteorologist at the Kenya Meteorological Department Julius Kilemba said officers have been sent to collect water samples for tests at the Water Resources Authority laboratories.
“We hope to make a conclusive finding and make the report public,” he stated adding that the department forecasts parts of Nakuru County to record heavy rains in the coming week.
The ‘black rain’ was witnessed in Japan in the wake of the atomic bombings over Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 during World War II. Late 2019, Brazil reported ‘black rain’ due to the Amazon forest fires.