Heavy rains now destroy food crops, displace families

Roseline Adhiambo, a resident of Urima village in Got-Agulu sub-location wades her way from her home as rains continue to pound parts of the country. [Photo: Isaiah Gwengi]

Farmers are counting losses after heavy rains in the last three days destroyed crops in parts of the county.

More than 50 acres of horticultural crops were destroyed at Urima and Uhundha villages in Got-Agulu sub-location.

Dozens of families have been displaced and now there is fear of contracting of waterborne diseases, as toilets have been submerged.

Roseline Adhiambo, whose house was marooned, said she had nowhere to go.

"I have no other place to go and if the rains continue, my house will be swept away," she said.

Roads have been rendered impassable, with Siungu and Honge beaches being the most hit.

Speaking to The Standard yesterday, farmers said they had suffered huge losses and that they would have to start from "square one."

“We don’t know where to start from. Crops whose value is close to Sh500,000 were swept away by the floods in the last three days,” said Fredrick Ogwela, a farmer in the village.

He said crops such us tomatoes, watermelon and potatoes were either swept away or are submerged and will be rotten by the time the water subsides.

Appeal for help

“We are back to where we started four months ago. We are left with nothing and we are appealing to the Government and other well-wishers to come to our aid,” said Mr Ogwela.

Majority of the farmers are victims of the dwindling fish stock that saw them try their hands in farming.

“We don’t have any activity to supplement our income. These farms have been our only source of livelihood. We can’t provide for our families and the situation may get worse if we don’t restore our farms soon,” said Jane Oyugi.