At least nine people have been reported dead and more than 400 people displaced as heavy rains and floods continue to wreak havoc in Migori county.
On Wednesday morning a body was picked in the Thim Jope area, Uriri constituency after it was swept by the flooded Oyani River.
“We are on high alert to respond to emergencies in real-time when they happen and we have called on people to move to higher grounds,” Migori county secretary Oscar Olima said.
Among those who have died are two children who drowned at River Kuja, Nyatike subcounty and two men who drowned in separate incidences at River Ogoche when the river broke its banks in the Wasimbete area in Suna West Constituency and Nyarago River in Uriri subcounty last week.
Two children were rescued from drowning around Nyandago Bridge along Uriri-Awendo road.
On Monday county government issued food stuff, medical and household equipment to those affected by floods in Konyango, Kabuto, and Modi villages in the Nyatike constituency.
Olima said they have on standby 15 experienced divers whom they have deployed on short notice to conduct rescue missions.
Kevin Ondiek, the Migori county coordinator for Kenya Red Cross Society said a total of 70 households were affected and 413 people have been affected by flooding.
He said the affected infrastructure is Kabuto dispensary and Modi Primary School with dykes at Kabuto around River Kuja has been affected.
He said the roads affected are Kimai- Kabuto, Lwanda- Nyakweri and Lwanda- Ndiwa roads.
“So far we are yet to have camp as all affected people have moved to settle with their families and we are monitoring the situation,” Ondieki said.
Heavy rains that came with strong winds blew off roofs of ten structures which include nine houses and a hostel of Migori Teachers Training College (TTC) in the county.
“A heavy storm and rains came around 4:30 pm on November 8 and blew off the roof of one of our hostels It will require Sh1 million to repair the roof. The hostel was unoccupied,” Dr Emily Kibet who is the institution’s principal said.
“We have been forced to flee our homes because of the floods. I have lost almost everything I had. I only managed to rescue a few of my property,” Risper Anyango, a resident of Nyatike lamented.
