• Their intervention is the first since the disaster hit the area in the last two months which had left the residence in distress as they could not access food, water or health services
• They intend to distribute first to the 1220 households which are cut off within the Delta then proceed to the 1200 others in Tana North who were affected.
Kenya Red Cross has begun dispatching relief food to the thousands of flood victims whose homes were submerged for the last two months.
Their intervention is the first since the disaster hit the area in the last two months which had left the residence in distress as they could not access food, water or health services.
The humanitarian organisation has been forced to use land cruisers, boats, and a tractor to dispatch the relief food worth more than Sh10 million so as to ensure everybody affected gets enough relief for the whole month.
Before the distribution of relief food, the organisation dispatched nonfood items such as blankets, tents among other items to help them get proper shelter.
There were however many challenges during the beginning of the process of distribution as both the tractor and the organisation's vehicles got stuck several times as roads have been rendered impassable by the floods.
Red Cross Society regional Manager Hassan Musa who was coordinating the relied distribution said they intend to distribute first to the 1220 households which are cut off within the Delta then proceed to the 1200 others in Tana North who were affected.
Speaking in Handaraku village during the distribution exercise he said in Tanarivert 2420 households about 15,000 people have been affected by the floods disaster but the worst-hit area was the Tanadelta which was submerged.
''Today as Kenya Red Cross we have received the donation from our donors that are food items which will cost us about Sh10 million and we are targeting to distribute this food to 1200, victims,'' Hassan Musa said.
Musa said the food comprises rice which every household would get 41 kilograms, together with 8.5 kilograms of beans, two liters of cooking oil and salt.
He said they expect the food distributed to last for one month after which they would review the accessibility of the area.
''It has been a challenge for us as Kenya Red Cross to access this area because the area was marooned, villages had formed camps,'' he said.
The Red cross regional boss and his team together with area MCA Musa Wario began distribution at Handaraku followed by Kikomo and promised to continue with the exercise until all affected victims get relief food.
To the victims, it was a sigh of relief after suffering for a long time without any intervention in the flood-hit area.
Wario who has been at the forefront of highlighting the plight of the flood victims thanked the Kenya Red cross for responding for the first time since the disaster struck the area.
He said the relief they received including canvas, blankets and food was enough to sustain the locals for this period.
''We are happy the Kenya Red Cross has come to give us hope, this food will go along way in supporting the livelihoods of the locals who were cut off,'' he said.
Mohamed Salat a resident of Handaraku criticized the Garsen MP for failing to support the victims who voted overwhelmingly for him during the campaign period.
He said it was strange that the legislator was busy holidaying in Malindi instead of visiting the locals who have been affected by the disaster.
Abubakar Shora the PA of the MP who was present said the legislator had brought rice from the NGCDF .
He dismissed claims that the MP had abandoned his people saying the food was available but there was no means of ferrying the food to the affected villages.
''We ask the national government to dispatch a chopper to help in the disbursement of the relief food because the areas affected cannot be accessed by road,'' he said.