Four family members killed by flash floods in Homa Bay buried

Calls for the conservation of water catchment areas intensified during the burial of four people who died from ravaging floods in Suba South constituency.

Four people including three children from a family lost their lives two weeks ago after flash and landslides occurred in the Sindo area, Suba South constituency.

More than 900 residents were affected after their properties such as house structures, farms, and household items destroyed.

Some families also lost their livestock and poultry after they were swept into Lake Victoria.

The incident occurred as ravaging floods from Gwassi hills flew into homes, farms and market centres. 

Suba Deputy County Commissioner Sebastian Okiring and Suba South MP Caroli Omondi said they discovered that the cause of flash floods and mudslides is serious deforestation in Gwassi forest.

Okiring argued that some people have destroyed vegetation in the hills and turned it into a place for growing bhang (cannabis sativa).

“We trekked around Gwassi hills and discovered serious interference with vegetation. People cut down trees to grow bhang,” Okiring said.

Speaking at a prayer service before the burial, Okiring said the government has directed for planting of trees in the forest.

“We’re uprooting the bhang and instead planting trees to increase forest cover in the hills,” he said.

MP Omondi called on the residents to participate in protecting the forested areas to reduce environmental degradation.

 He said he has reached out to the environmental ministry to protect the areas.

“My office is collaborating with environmental stakeholders to ensure we conserve the forest to avoid reoccurrence of such mudslides. We residents to fully involve in protecting the environment,” Omondi said.

Residents were urged to plant fruit trees in the forest instead of bhang in Gwassi hills. Omondi said he will support the initiative of growing fruit trees in the area.

He said planting trees on the hills is the best solution to the problem as it will reduce land degradation.

“The government has pledged to provide seedlings for planting to ensure fruit trees are planted in the hills,” he added.

MPs Gideon Ochanda (Bondo) and Daniel Manduku (Nyaribari Masaba) urged residents to avoid living in protected areas. 

Ochanda said encroachment of forested land interferes with the environmental protection of forests because they are disastrous.

“Protected areas are always dangerous and can cause calamities hence should be avoided,” Ochanda said   

Families which were affected asked for more humanitarian assistance  

Led by Daniel Okanga and Sylance Otieno, the families called for assistance to rebuild their houses after they were destroyed. 

“Most people who lost homes are spending their night in neighbours houses. Besides financial limitations, there are people who are just not sure whether they are safe if they go back and build new houses,” Okanga said.

Residents want geologists to visit the area and study rocks and the soil and determine if fresh landslides will happen.