Floods claim seven more lives

By Standard reporters

Five people drowned after their vehicle was swept away by flash floods on the Narok-Mai Mahiu road.

"They were travelling to Nairobi from Migori and were swept at Duka Moja area on Sunday night," Narok OCPD Charles Okweya said.

He said the driver, formerly a teacher in Migori, his two children and two other occupants were dragged metres away from the road and could not be rescued.

"The vehicle failed to navigate the flooded section of the road," Mr Okweya said.

The bodies of the victims and the vehicle were recovered more than twelve hours after the accident.

The bodies were taken to Narok North District Hospital mortuary while the vehicle was towed to the local police station.

Okweya appealed to motorists to be careful when approaching the low sections of Olasiti, Suswa, Satelite, Kigecha and Mai-Mahiu.

"The sections are prone to floods and motorists should be extra careful, especially at night," he said.

He said Public Works and Roads ministries personnel and engineers of a construction company rehabilitating the 87km road would repair damaged sections.

Elsewhere, a nine-year-old girl was on Sunday swept away as she tried to cross the Saba Saba River in Murang’a South District.

And following the breaching of its banks, those living near banks have been evacuated to safer areas.

Murang’a South Deputy OCPD Jonathan Ngala said police were monitoring the situation and had ordered those living near swollen rivers to relocate.

Meanwhile, scores of Thika residents have been marooned in their houses following flash floods.

Juja and Kiganjo were most affected with damaged roads and a bridge swept away.

Residents wishing to cross Ruiru River in Juja Farm to the other side of Ukambani are said to walk stealthily over a water pipe.

Children sent home

Residents of Kenyatta Road have sent children to rural homes and adults are left to manage the floods to prevent damage of property.

Some tenants have also vacated residential plots due to flooding.

Kalimoni chief Stephen Mbuthia, whose house was flooded, said residents feared an outbreak of water-borne diseases as the stagnant water had started smelling. He said at least 300 households were affected.

The highly populated area is said to lack proper drainage.

The floods have been worsened by heavy rains in Gatundu, whose waters drain in the relatively flat area.

In Taita-Taveta, a man drowned following flash floods.

Taita-Taveta OCPD Herbert Khaemba said the retired army officer drowned at Kishushe location in Wundanyi division at the weekend.

He said locals found his body buried in the sand and alerted police.

Newton Mwamela, a local, said horticultural farmers at Kishenyi and Nyache were unable to transport their produce to market as the floods have also destroyed roads.

Residents have been put on high alert and advised to leave areas prone to flooding.

Floods have also destroyed two churches and a bore hole besides killing goats, chicken and household items in Buguta area of Nyangala division, Voi District.

A conservationist, Ezra Mdamu, described the situation as bad, saying residents were living in fear of disease outbreak.

Taita Interim Independent Electoral Commission co-ordinator Eisha Oshan Omar said supervision of voter registration had been affected as some far-flung areas were not easily accessible due to damaged roads.

Taita Senior DO David Boen said the district disaster management committee was alert and urged residents to be vigilant to detect signs of danger.

In Garissa, three consecutive days of heavy rains left hundreds of families homeless as several roads linking the town to other parts of the province were impassable.

Floods swept away more than 400 houses in Bor’Argi in the outskirts of Garissa town.

Garissa-Modogashe, Masalani–Garissa and Garissa-Liboi roads were destroyed.

On Monday, Regional Commissioner for Lower North Eastern Hassan Farah told The Standard the Government would help the affected families and assured residents that preparations had been put in place in case bigger emergencies.

Farah appealed to residents living near River Tana to be cautious as the water levels of the river continued to rise. Transport to and from Garissa was affected by the floods that have washed away culverts and drifts on the earthen roads.

Several vehicles carrying food rations to refugees in Dadaab were reportedly stuck on the way as dozens of others pitched tent within the town anticipating a reprieve from the rains.

— Reports by Kipchumba Kemei, Wairimu Kamande, Boniface Gikandi and Renson Mnyamwezi.