Four children drowned in a pool of water near Eldas town in Wajir county on Tuesday evening.
Witnesses said Khalid Hajji, Zakaria Maalim, Abdimalik Mahamud and Abdirahman Mohamed were crossing the laga to the other side when they were swept away by the flood waters
Their bodies were found hours later. They were buried in accordance with the Islamic rites.
The deaths bring to six, the number of those killed in the county due to heavy rains experienced in the last three weeks.
Two weeks ago, a 70-year-old woman and a 5-year-old boy also drowned in Gurara and Eldas respectively.
Wajir county commissioner Loyfod Kibaara confirmed the incidents.
He said that the national and county governments have set up a disaster response team to offer support to those affected by the floods.
“We are all focused and working round the clock to ensure that we contain the situation and ensure that that the floods do not lead to more deaths,” he said.
Governor Mohamed Abdi said the county has begun an exercise to sensitise residents in flood-prone areas to move away to higher and safer grounds.
“We have also made countywide awareness through local FM stations to inform, caution and alert Wajir people to be wary about the turbulent flash floods.
“We should not underrate the pools as they may be carrying an unexpected heavy flow of water from far areas like has already been witnessed,” he told the Star on the phone.
He appealed to the national government to provide security aircraft to provide food and other supplies to the areas that are still cut-off.
Area MP Adan Keynan said it was regrettable that ‘precious lives are lost by a resource we prayed for, for so long’.
Keynan said that he will work closely with the county and national government to ensure the effects flood across the constituency are mitigated.
“In the meantime, I urge parents to keep their children away from flowing streams and lagas during this rainy season to prevent deaths,” he said.
According to the rapid assessment report by the National Drought Management Authority, at least 80,000 people have been affected by the flash floods.
The report dated October 20, showed that more than 6,000 animals have also died.
(edited by O. Owino)
