Wedding group swept away as death toll from Kenyan floods reaches 57

Five people have been swept away to their deaths when the car they were traveling in was hit by floodwaters in Kenya's Rift Valley.

The victims, who had been returning home from a wedding in Tanzania, join a growing death toll from floods and landslides that have battered Kenya since the weekend. On Monday, officials said 57 people had so far been killed.

Three children were among the five that were swept away in the Rift Valley, said Daudi Loronyokwe, a police chief in Kajiado Central community.

John Lonyangapuo, the governor in a region covering West Pokot county, the administrative district worst hit by the floods and mudslides, said that between 80,000 and 120,000 people have been affected in the county. At least 52 people were confirmed dead there, he said.

"I have lost three children," said West Pokot resident William Lokapel. He described how his wife managed to struggle to safety, clutching another child, after a mudslide engulfed their home while they slept.

The Kenya Red Cross said torrential rain is uncommon for this time of year. Parts of the country could continue to face destructive flooding this week.

With the heavy downpours pounding the region, families have been left homeless after their houses were swept away by the floodwaters or buried under the landslides.

The landslide that occurred on Saturday morning led to massive destruction of property and infrastructure such as bridges and roads.

On Monday, Lonyangapuo called on the government to send a helicopter to the affected area to help in retrieving bodies and provide other needed transport services. The roads leading to the affected area had been rendered impassable.

Lonyangapuo said he had to walk for kilometers to reach the scene and made use of a motorbike in some stretches.

Fred Matiang'i, cabinet secretary in the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Security, said the government has sent food, mattresses and blankets to the families in need.

Wilson Lonyang'ole, the director of Meteorological Services in West Pokot, on Monday said many residents had ignored warnings to move to a safer area.

"We gave our advisory, asking people to keep off the highland areas until the rains subside. Some of them heeded the advice but others, unfortunately, ignored it," Lonyang'ole told the Standard Newspaper.

The Kenya Meteorological Department has warned of more heavy rains throughout the week, with up to 30 millimeters in some places. Regions likely to be affected include the northwestern, southeastern, western, and central regions of Kenya.

AP contributed to this story.