- As early as 4 am, the Kenya Red Cross (KRC) team had already hit the ground to move the familes to safety.
- The emergency evacuation came even as several places in the country continued to experience heavy rains.
Image: KENYA RED CROSS
The Kenya Red Cross was Wednesday morning forced to conduct emergency evacuation of families in certain areas of Kitengela, Kajiado county after heavy rains pounded the region.
As early as 4 am, the Kenya Red Cross (KRC) team had already hit the ground to move the family to safety.
"We are currently on the ground assisting families to move to safety in Kitengela, Kajiado County, following heavy rainfall," KRC tweeted at 4:54 am.
KRC teams were actively involved in helping households along Deliverance Road, Balozi Road, Baraka Road, Blessed Court, New Valley, Changombe, and the KAG area.
KRC said they have so far rescued six people who were in critical situations and they are on course to get others to safety.
The emergency evacuation came even as several places in the country continued to experience heavy rains.
President William Ruto on Tuesday asked families living in riparian lands to prevent further damage.
If you live near a water body or in a land prone to mudslides, the President gave you 48 hours to move to safer grounds or be forcibly ejected.
The government has mapped out all vulnerable areas and settlements that are at risk of flash floods.
Experts, the President said, advise that such residents urgently move away.
The Meteorological Department says the enhanced rains will persist.
Ruto spoke on Tuesday after touring the village in Mai Mahiu that was swept by heavy flooding, leaving in its wake deaths, injuries and massive destruction.
At least 48 people died, with 20 others in hospital and close to 30 still missing.
The President said the Cabinet adopted a decision on Tuesday morning to have all people living in riparian reserves in Nairobi and around the country served with a 48-hour notice to move to forestall disaster.
“We are taking preemptive steps to ensure safety rather than be sorry later when a similar incident [like the Maai Mahiu one] happens. We want all people living in riparian reserves and in vulnerable spaces to move to safer grounds and we will be issuing the notice tomorrow [Wednesday],” Ruto said while addressing the displaced families.
The National Youth Service and military officers have been mobilised to reinforce search and rescue efforts at the sites of the incidents to ensure that the families with missing loved ones obtain closure as quickly as possible.
Image: KENYA RED CROSS/X