Floods displace hundreds in Garissa

About 1,000 families at Amuma in Garissa were displaced by flash floods following heavy rains at the weekend.

The victims are camping at Amuma Primary School after their homes were either swept away or brought down by the torrential rains that pounded the area for three consecutive days.

Speaking in Garissa town, Jarajila Ward Representative Mahat Osman said the affected families are now taking refuge at the primary school, which was not affected by the floods since it is located at a higher ground.

"Nobody was killed in the raging rain waters which almost submerged the entire village but more than 1,000 families were rendered homeless for the last three days", he said.

The MCA said the entire village, which is about 8km from Somalia border, were completely flattened and turned into a pool of water.

He said a humanitarian crisis is looming with children, women and elderly people showing signs of bad health and fatigue from sleeping in the open at the school's open grounds since the classrooms couldn't accommodate the big numbers.

"The displaced lack basic necessities such as bedding, shelter, foodstuffs and medicine. Children particularly under five were affected by the cold and they are coughing a lot," he said.