•Meteorological department county director Dominic Mbindyo said Vanga and Kiwegu villages in Lunga Lunga risk possible floods if heavy rains are witnessed in Tanzania.
•He said the areas have had a bad history of flooding that destroyed their crops and properties.
Image: SHABAN OMAR
Kwale residents living in flood-prone areas have been cautioned as rains are expected to continue in the region.
The county has been experiencing constant average rains for the past one week with some low-lying areas experiencing moderate floods.
Due to poor drainage, water flooded the roads.
The most affected areas were Ukunda town, Showground and Ng'ombeni among other places.
Meteorological department county director Dominic Mbindyo said the residents should be vigilant and move to safe areas if the water level rises.
“Those living in the lowlands, should monitor the rains and vacate to higher grounds,” he said.
Mbindyo said Vanga and Kiwegu villages in Lunga Lunga risk possible floods if heavy rains are witnessed in Tanzania.
He said the areas have had a bad history of flooding that destroyed their crops and properties.
Mbindyo said to avoid disasters residents should be proactive and take necessary precautions.
He advised those living near water sources to be extra careful.
Last year, River Umba in Vanga broke its banks, flooding over 350 acres of land. The water took several weeks to subside.
Miembeni bridge in Shimba Hills was swept away by floods disrupting transport.
In 2019, floods swept away livestock, homesteads and farms in Vanga and Mwangwei villages.
People had to wade through the deep water to salvage what they could.
In 2017 more than 1,500 families were marooned by floods and dams and rivers burst their banks in various parts of the region. Over five people died.
In December, a 32-year-old mother and her two-year-old child drowned while trying to cross the flooded river Mwavumbo in Kinango subcounty.
The drowning incident came days after three children in the same area drowned while swimming in the swollen River Mwache.
Mbindyo cautioned residents against crossing flooded rivers during the heavy downpour.
He urged parents to monitor their children and keep them away from water paths.
“Some of them are very deep and can cause havoc,” he said.
Mbindyo urged residents to do proper drainage systems and repair broken sewers to prevent water-borne diseases and avert accidents.
The weatherman warned against conducting mining activities during rainy seasons.
He said there could be landslide incidents whose results are catastrophic.
Mbindyo said many people have lost lives due to frequent mine site collapses and urged miners to take the advice seriously.
He pleaded with the mine operators to rehabilitate the unused mining site and plant trees.
The director called on the Kenya Power and Lighting Company to ensure all loose cables are well insulated and connected to prevent electrocution as water stagnates around the electricity poles.
He urged farmers to take advantage of the rainy season to plant food crops that take little time to mature to help combat hunger.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris
Image: SHABAN OMAR