In late April, Chinese national Tracy Xu, who is currently working in Thailand, set off on a trip to Kenya with two friends, eager to experience the beauty of wildlife during the off-peak season. However, what began as an exciting adventure turned into a harrowing ordeal when they encountered a severe flood in the middle of the night. Tracy found herself clinging to a pillar for six long hours until she was finally rescued. This traumatic experience has left a lasting impact on her, as she still reacts with anxiety every time she hears rain.
The floods that began in East Africa this April, particularly affecting Kenya and Tanzania, caught many by surprise. On April 30, Tracy and her friends, Liu Jatu and Seven, arrived at the renowned safari destination of Masai Mara and checked into a luxurious campsite called Basecamp Masai Mara. Tracy noted that the campsite proudly claimed that former President Obama had stayed there, boasting high online ratings and charging up to $200 per person per night even during the off-season. Upon arrival, the staff welcomed them with luggage assistance and refreshing drinks, creating a pleasant initial impression. However, given its remote location, they were warned about the lack of streetlights and signs and were advised not to venture out without an escort after dark.
The tents at the campsite were individually structured, and Liu Jatu was placed in the lowest-lying tent, while Tracy was situated nearby. Tracy recalled that upon entering her tent, she could already see the river outside, dangerously high and flowing rapidly, giving her the unsettling feeling that just a misstep could send her tumbling into the water. Little did she know, that moment foreshadowed the nightmare to come.
Around 1 a.m., just after falling asleep, a thunderous clap startled Tracy awake. Soon after, she received a call from Liu Jatu, warning that floodwaters were beginning to invade her tent. Tracy attempted to call for help using the hotel’s communication tools, but her efforts went unnoticed. Shortly thereafter, Liu Jatu informed her that her tent had been completely swept away, forcing her to climb a nearby tree to escape the rising water. As the flooding escalated in Tracy’s tent, she found herself waist-deep in water, having watched her bed float away.
Desperate not to be carried off by the flood, Tracy clung to a tent pillar in the pitch-black night, shouting for help. Fortunately, she had her fully charged phone and started messaging friends, the driver who accompanied them, and the travel agency. Seven had been moved to safety due to the elevation of her tent, but other rescue efforts provided no timeline for arrival. With nothing but a light shirt on and the relentless water battering her, Tracy’s teeth chattered from the cold as despair set in.
By around 5 a.m., she heard that a helicopter could be dispatched for rescue, reigniting her hope. As dawn broke at 6:30 a.m., she finally gained clarity on her surroundings: trees surrounded her, and the muddy floodwaters rushed past at an alarming speed, debris continuously striking her.
After enduring about six hours of this terrifying ordeal, Tracy finally heard the sound of helicopter rotors. Rescuers from the local Mara Elephant Project, donned in life jackets and carrying ropes, waded through the floodwaters to reach her, guiding her safely to the riverbank. After being rescued, Tracy learned that Liu Jatu had also been rescued after clinging to a tree for twelve long hours.
The emotional and physical toll of this experience has been profound for Tracy. At the time of the flood, she was on her menstrual cycle, and she described how a second cycle began just two weeks later. The relentless battering from the debris and the stress of the situation left her with bruises on her back and persistent leg cramps. Moreover, she now experiences anxiety whenever it rains.
Liu Jatu, who had been trapped longer, gained significant attention on social media after detailing her experience, and both women believe that the hotel’s negligence—specifically the lack of emergency flood protocols—contributed to their ordeal. They are currently seeking compensation for their financial and emotional losses but, since May, their communications with the hotel have yielded unsatisfactory results, with only a refund for the accommodation received.
In July, the Basecamp Masai Mara reopened its doors after undergoing maintenance. Following the ordeal’s exposure, it received numerous negative reviews from concerned Chinese travelers on various rating platforms, leading to a dip in its ratings. However, it still maintains a high rating of 4.4 as of the latest update.
