[PHOTOS] Floodwaters wreak havoc in Maasai Mara Game park

An unknown number of people among them tourists escaped death by a whisker early Wednesday after muddy waters from swollen River Talek coursed through camps and lodges at the world-famous Maasai Mara Game Reserve.

The river burst its banks Tuesday night following heavy rains upstream.

Workers and tourists were woken by roaring sounds as water gushed through lodges, tents and camps.

Everybody scrambled to higher ground with whatever they could carry from tents and staff houses in five camps and lodges.

A few people were perched on rooftops and trees and only came down when the sun rose and the flooding had subsided.

All the tourists and locals were accounted for.

The visitors were taken to nearby camps and hotels.

The damage was estimated to be in millions of shillings as some of the structures were destroyed beyond repair.

Narok Governor Patrick Ole Ntutu visited the area and asked the locals to be alert for floods and appealed to them to move to safer grounds.