Two killed as flash floods wreak havoc

By Renson Mnyamwezi

Two people were yesterday swept away by flash floods as heavy rains continued pounding Taita-Taveta County.

In Taita District, a man was washed away and killed by the raging floods at Holili area on the Kenya-Tanzania border.

Area OCPD Paul Kisang said the body of an unidentified person was found lying in a gully in a sisal estate. He said police later removed the body and took it to Taveta District Hospital mortuary awaiting identification and postmortem.

“We found the body in the gulley  and we are still waiting for the deceased relatives to come and identify it,” he said. Mr Kisang said rivers in the area were swollen following heavy rains in Kilimanjaro region in Tanzania.

In another incident at Teita Sisal Estate, a worker in Mwatate District drowned in a dam. Police said that floods from Taita Hills overwhelmed the man, identified as Katana Zaro, as he walked home from Mwatate town.

Taita OCPD Samson Kinne said the deceased body was found by herders floating on Mwatate dam and they alerted authorities.

The incident brings to two the number of people who have drowned in the region. A fortnight ago, a man drowned while fleeing from a swarm of bees at Voi River. Jasper Msowa Mwaegwa, 24, drowned at Mtowamwagodi Dam in Mwatate District.

Immense damage

Taveta DC Heribae Nkaduda said floods from Kilimanjaro region have caused farmers immense damage; destroyed farms, roads and killed livestock. He said the District Steering Group was still monitoring the situation. “We’ve cause to worry if the rains continue in Tanzania. The Government is, however, alert to deal with any eventuality,” said Mr Nkaduda.

Taveta District experiences perennial flooding from Tanzania bringing residents untold suffering.