Elephant research centre destroyed

Fortunately no one has been reported hurt, but the unexpected flooding of the Ewaso Ng'iro River has completely destroyed the Save the Elephants [ STE ] research facility and Elephant Watch Safari Camp located in Samburu National Reserve , Kenya. Lucy King, an Oxford University DPhil student who works at the facility and has done recent research on beehive fences and elephants & bees , reported that at 5am yesterday 'a wall of water akin to a Tsunami' decimated first the Safari Camp and then, two hours later, the Save the Elephants research facility. Lucy told me yesterday: 'We are all devastated to have lost our research camp that had only just been renovated. Our staff are still stuck there and sifting through the mud trying to salvage what they can, more rain is coming tonight, it's a real catastrophe. The immediate relief process has already begun, with blankets and water flown in by STE founder Iain Douglas-Hamilton, as well as the assistance of the British Army, which is attempting to airlift people to safety and bring additional supplies.