Woman drowns in floodwater as DC urges caution

By George Olwenya and Renson Mnyamwezi

A woman drowned after she was swept away by floods in Ugenya District.

The woman,18, was among over 1,000 villagers camping at Siginga Primary School in West Ugenya who left behind their belongings after floods submerged their homes.

She is said to have attempted to go back to her home to salvage household goods.

The families were displaced by floods after River Nzoia burst its banks.

Ugenya DC Caroline Onchoka said the body of Maurine Akinyi was found floating near her home in the morning.

Assistant Chief Ben Odongo said Akinyi left the camp to check on her house at Karamogi village in Sifuyo West Sub-location and also take a bath.

She, however, failed to turn up at night and her sister and other villagers at the camp assumed she may have gone to visit friends.

Villagers who had also decided to go back found the body floating in the water.

Mrs Onchoka cautioned the 4,500 people camping in schools against risking their lives by trying to go back to the flooded villages.

"I know that you are desperate, but stay here until things return to normal," Onchoka said. On Wednesday, Special Programmes Minister Esther Murugi said floods have killed 15 people and displaced over 80, 000 countrywide.

Meanwhile two well-wishers from Ugenya, Christopher Karan and Francis Owino, donated several sacks of maize flour and sukuma wiki to families camping at Siginga and Luthehe primary schools.

Elsewhere, floods have displaced scores of families in Taita-Taveta County.

A heavy storm destroyed houses and millions of shillings worth of food crops at Maungu location in Nyangala division.

Food shortage

Residents and Provincial Administration officials said the floods have worsened the food shortage situation in the region and appealed for urgent relief food and drugs.

"We’ve been displaced and we urgently need relief food and drugs. The Government should intervene before the situation worsens," said a resident.

Voi acting DC, George Matundura, said the Government was till assessing the extent of the damage.

"It is true that some families have been rendered homeless. We’re on the ground assessing the damage," said Mr Matundura.

Taita Deputy OCPD Justina Nzivo, however, said no death has so far been reported.

Maungu and Voi towns have persistently been hit by floods in the recent past.

Early this month scores of houses were extensively damaged at Tanzania and Sofia areas in the outskirts of Voi town.