Met tools destroyed in Busia

A structure at Rwambwa in Budalang'i, Busia County, where solar panels were stolen. [Ignatius Odanga/Standard]

Instruments that the Kenya Meteorological Department relies on to collect weather data in Budalang'i Constituency have been vandalised.

The instruments were installed at Rwambwa in Budalang’i and in Mumias in 2008 to enable the weatherman get details of water levels in the constituency.

The department has been using the data relayed by the instruments to notify locals through a community radio station called Bulala FM how to avoid floods

Patrick Ojanji, the station director, said the meteorological department has not been getting feedback from the equipment, which includes gauges, since last week.

“The gauges are automatic and sends information directly to the weatherman in Nairobi," said Mr Ojanji.

"Since the vandalism happened last week, we no longer get timely updates on the level of water in Budalang’I.”

He added that officers from the Water Resource Management Authority visited the scene and promised to reinstall new equipment.