By PAUL GITAU AND RENSON MNYAMWEZ

Nairobi, Kenya; The over 6,000 families face double disaster after their houses were washed away by floods

It was double tragedy for over 6,000 families previously affected by the Tana Delta clashes after their houses were washed away by floods at the weekend.

Those who fled their homes following the tribal clashes between the Pokomo and Orma communities returned to their villages less than a month ago only to be displaced by floods after River Tana burst its bank a week ago.

The displaced are now living in temporary camps near Wema in Tana Delta District. Areas affected include Iskabel,Tawakal, Kulesa, Mikameni, Abageda, Maziwa and Walkon.

According to outgoing Tana Delta Deputy County Commissioner Mr David Kiprop other villages that had been marooned forcing villagers to be evacuated include Lessa, Mnazini, Sera, Babani, Shirikisho and Danisa.

Garsen legislator Ibrahim Sane visited the IDPs camp yesterday and asked the Government to urgently intervene. Mr Sane said the area needed special Government attention as the victims had just returned to their villages after fleeing tribal clashes that left more than 200 people dead and over 30,000 families displaced.

FLED AREA

“Majority of those affected fled the area since last year and they did not cultivate their farms while others had all their household property destroyed or looted,” he said. The MP asked the government to distribute relief food, utensils, shelter and medication.

Meanwhile, a food crisis is looming in Taveta District following heavy downpour in Taita-Taveta County that has wrecked farmland, cut off roads and displaced families.

Provincial Administration officials said yesterday that more than 300 families had been displaced and several livestock swept away by flash floods in the region in the last two weeks.

The affected families who have been relocated to local schools urgently require relief supplies in Taveta border district, which is the main breadbasket in the coastal region.

The floods that originated from Mount Kilimanjaro region in Tanzania left a trail of destruction as hundreds of acres of food crops were destroyed.