Kenya's Lake Baringo floods force relocations and spark crocodile attacks

Lake Baringo in Kenya’s Rift Valley has risen about 70 % since 2010, reaching its highest level in half a century after extreme rainfall linked to climate change. The expansion has submerged farmland and brought the lake’s edge within metres of homes, forcing tens of thousands of families to be relocated.

The rising waters have drawn crocodiles and hippos into villages. In 2011 a hippo killed the husband of Mary Milka Tiren, and in 2021 a crocodile attacked her nine‑year‑old son, leaving permanent scars. Jackson Komen, director of the Kenya Wildlife Service for the Baringo protected area, said, “Il y a eu une hausse des attaques de crocodiles, non parce qu'il y a plus de crocodiles, mais parce que le lac est désormais proche des maisons.” He warned of a “désastre écologique” if the nearby Lake Bogoria, which has also expanded 21 % and lies only 10 km away, merges with Baringo, potentially destroying the local ecosystem.