Standard One pupil feared dead as man injured by crocodile

A standard one pupil is feared dead while a 37-year-old man is recuperating in hospital after being attacked by a crocodile in Homa Bay County.

The reptile attacked the girl identified as Veronica Achieng’ when she was bathing in River Kuja within Ndhiwa Sub County on Friday.

It is believed that Veronica of Rachong’ Village in West Kabuoch Location died after the attack by the reptile. Her body has not been recovered.

Meanwhile, George Odongo is recuperating at St Lawrence Hospital in Homa Bay Sub County after being bitten by the same crocodile.

Odongo sustained serious injuries on his right thigh . He had accompanied a group of people who were looking for Veronica’s body in the river when he was attacked.

“I stepped into the water and shortly the animal jumped on my thigh. I screamed and jumped out of the water as my colleagues tried to rescue me by hitting the animal ,” Odongo said.

Homa Bay County Director of Disaster Management Eliud Onyango rushed him to the hospital.

“I found him seriously bleeding and brought him to this hospital due to nurses’ strike in our public health facilities. My department will settle the hospital bills he has incurred here,” Onyango told journalists at the hospital.

He urged residents to shun human activities in the riparian land along permanent water bodies in the county to avoid human wildlife conflict.

“I am concerned over the manner in which our people cultivate the riparian land along River Kuja. Residents should be cautious and leave the riparian land devoid of human activities to avoid these attacks,” said Onyango.

Meanwhile the search for Veronica’s body was still going on.

The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Homa Bay Warden Grace Wendot said the search will go on until the body is found.

“We are collaborating with other partners in retrieving the minor’s body. We are not likely to call off the search soon unless the body is found or the family of the victim says they are satisfied that the body cannot be found,” Wendot said.

Apart from the KWS, partners who are looking for the body include the County department of disaster management and the police.