Gachagua: 37 flood deaths could have been avoided
National
By
Esther Nyambura
| Nov 28, 2023
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has said that the country could have avoided 37 deaths due to floods if they had taken precaution.
Acciording to Gachagua the people who lost their lives would still be alive if they had not attempted to cross swelling rivers.
"Out of the 87 deaths that have occurred due to el-nino, 37 of them is by drowning. It is not by floods getting to your house but people going where the floods are," he said.
Gachagua who was speaking in Kwale County, Gachagua said that Kenyans are daring in nature but cautioned them against getting crossing flooded waters.
"Kenyans are crossing rivers and they can see the waters are menacing and they are rough. And they still insist they are in a rush to reach somewhere and they do not get there," said Gachagua.
"As much as they are asking the government to intervene, how do we intervene when you yourself are getting into a river and you can see it is overflowing?" he posed.
He called on security teams across the country to arrest anyone who tries to make their way across flooded places, which he said is risking their lives and that of others.
Further, he urged Kenyans to be responsible and avoid flooded places even as the government tries to implement measures to deal with floods in the country.