Schools submerged, families left homeless following heavy downpour

Following heavy downpour that hit different parts of the country Thursday night, schools have been destroyed, pupils send home, locals rendered homeless with roads becoming impassible leaving majority in urgent need of humanitarian assistance in Makueni.

The devastating rains across Makueni, a semi-arid region, have destroyed at least four schools.

According to the Makueni County Education Director Ms. Jane Njogu, water entered Kiboko primary school toilets hence sinking with the classrooms getting flooded making the situation intolerable.

“The classrooms are all flooded, the compound and the toilets too. Learning has been discontinued till draining of the water is done,” Njogu said.

She disclosed that they were continuing with assessment on the fate of various schools that have been destroyed over-night.

At Kibwezi East sub-county, two classrooms were swept away of Yikitaa primary school with Nzwii primary school’s roof curving in though no casualties were reported.

“The poorly constructed rooms could not withstand the intensity of the heavy down pour that was experienced yesterday night. The classrooms collapsed of one school with the other’s roof curving in, “said Dr. Kennedy Machora, Kibwezi-East sub-county Education Director.

Machora appealed for well-wishers and the County Government to intervene immediately.

The rain which came with strong thunder and lightning lead to cutting off of electricity at Wote town with insecurity escalating. At the wake of the day, one person was found dead under unclear circumstances with his lifeless body lying in a pit around Punda Road.

The area OCPD Bosita Omukholongolo cites he fell into a septic tank during the dark night.

At Mbooni East Sub-county, two classrooms at Mukuku primary were blow-off due to strong winds that accompanied the heavy rain with learning discontinued.

The region’s Education officer Douglas Maina said that the destruction affected classes 4 and 5.

He appealed to the CDF and the County Government to assist for temporal structures to be made for learning to resume.

Elsewhere, at Mwanza village, Thange ward 17 families were left homeless after their houses were flown off during the heavy rains.

“We have been left homeless, all the food we had was soaked in water and we are forced to seek for accommodation from family friends”, Ms. Ndulu Mwangangi told the Standard in an interview.

The area Assistant County Commissioner Vitalis Ogur paid a visit to assess the condition.

In Kibwezi West Sub-county around Kisayani area a bridge was flashed away making transport in the region difficult with schools recording low attendance of students.

Several other schools had leakages with the condition forcing school heads to combine the learners.