A child was swept away by raging floods in Mashimoni area in Kibera, Nairobi following a heavy downpour that pounded the city on Friday evening.
Nairobi County Disaster Management and Coordination team led by Chief Officer Bramwel Simiyu on Saturday indicated that it is following up on the incident in Kibera.
"The waters have subsided in the majority of the areas impacted last night due to the heavy rainfall experienced. Aside from losses and damage to property, a child was swept away last evening in the Mashimoni area in Kibera,” Simiyu stated.
Simiyu added that the county has set up a psychosocial support team as tracing and rescue efforts continue.
“Some immediate interventions are already ongoing in some areas that have been hardest hit, such as Githogoro and Mukuru, as efforts to mobilise, consolidate and deploy additional resources are being put in place,” he said.
In the statement, Simiyu added that a team will be conducting an assessment to ascertain the extent of the damages and to confirm the number of households affected and any additional needs other than the ones identified on Friday.
He further said the team will as well as conduct sensitisation sessions for enhanced safety in the communities.
“We continue to emphasise that people should not attempt to cross the rivers once the banks break,” he advised.
He asked city residents to avoid walking in moving flood waters and urged adults to keep a watchful eye on children to not play next to the rivers.
Nairobi County's Disaster Management and Coordination team is currently carrying out a Joint county-wide assessment exercise with the Red Cross to establish the extent of the impact of the downpour.
