By Lucas Ng’asike and Paul Gitau
Several families have been displaced by floods across the country.
In Turkana County, rain wreaked havoc in Loima, Lodwar, and Kalokol districts destroying property and displacing families.
In Kakolol in Lake Turkana, flash floods swept away villages and markets rendering residents homeless after River Nakiria burst its banks.
An elderly woman is reported missing and is suspected to have been swept towards the crocodile infested Lake Turkana.
Turkana Central DC Duncan Darusi said the woman had gone to collect firewood near the riverbanks. He said more than 200 families were displaced after heavy rains that started over Easter holidays continued to pound the area.
The families also lost property in flash floods that damaged several houses in Kalokol market. The DC said 50 families had been evacuated. “We advise families living near the river banks and floods prone areas to move to safer ground,” Darusi said.
The Kenya Red Cross Society has donated tents, mosquito nets, blankets and household utensils to affected families. In Lodwar town, the rain damaged some houses in Kanamkemer village and Soweto Estate. A matatu was also extensively damaged when a tree fell on the windscreen near a petrol station in Lodwar town. In Nadapal in Loima District, several houses among them that of a local chief, were destroyed. In Katilu in Turkana South District lightning reportedly killed a 65-year-old herdsman and his 21 goats in Lopur village as he shielded himself from rain with his animals.
Elsewhere in Tana River County more than 1,700 families from Bura and Garsen constituencies have been marooned after River Tana burst its banks. Transport along Tana River and Garissa counties has been cut off after the road washed away by the floods. The affected families have lost household items and acres of farm under crops.
Village 8 and Village 1, which are located within the Bura irrigation schemes, are inaccessible because they are marooned.
Kenya Red Cross Officer in charge of disaster in Tana River Michael Alyabei said it has been difficult to supply relief food to the affected families. ?
Over 1,200 families are stranded and cannot move to higher grounds. Mr Aiyabei said they conducted aerial surveillance yesterday and those affected could be more. ?He said they were able to evacuate a few families that included elderly people and a blind woman. ?
“Our people are on ground trying to rescue the marooned families,” he said. ? He said the Kenya Red Cross and the Provincial Administration were working on logistics to assist the affected families. In Tana Delta, 425 families have been displaced. Area DC David Kiprop said the affected villages are Mnazini, Maziwa, Kulesa, Sera, and Babaany. He said the water levels along the river in Kibusu, Shirikisho, Galili and Danisa villages had increased and asked residents to move to higher grounds. He said no lives had been lost. In Magarini, residents living along the banks of River Sabaki have been asked to move since the water levels were rising.
