Nyandarua residents appeal for help as floodwaters sweep away homes

At least 20 families in Mukungi and Mwinjoyo villages in Kinangop, Nyandarua County have been rendered homeless following heavy rains accompanied by hailstones on Monday evening. [James Munyeki, Standard]

More than 20 families in Mukungi and Mwinjoyo villages in Kinangop, Nyandarua County were on Monday left homeless after their houses were swept away by raging flood waters following heavy rains.

Although there were no fatalities or injuries reported, the heavy rains accompanied by hailstones affected electricity supply in the area forcing residents to spend the night in the dark.

As late as 10.00pm, the helpless residents were still trying to salvage property that had been swept away.

The residents have called for emergency intervention from the county and national government through the provision of food, clean water and seeds.

"We have never experienced such kind of rain in the past. Most of the homes have now been submerged," said John Njoroge, a resident.

He regretted that they had also lost crops worth thousands of shillings as hailstones pounced on them.

"A hail of destruction was also witnessed in our farms after crops were swept down the road," he said.

He noted that digging stormwater drains remains a great emergency necessity for the residents at the moment.

Heavy rains and floods have ravaged many parts of the country since the start of the El Nino rains leaving behind a trail of deaths, destruction, and displacement of thousands of families.

By early December last year, President William Ruto said 38 of Kenya's 47 counties had been affected by the floods with at least 170 people having died and more than 600,000 displaced.

Last week as Nairobi homes were submerged in the flood waters, the Interior said some 8 people had been killed by floods and 191,800 households displaced in Tana River.

Omollo said crops and livestock worth Sh65m have been destroyed in the county.