Flood victims in Garissa have been warned against returning to their homes and farms until the crisis ends.
Deputy county commissioner Samuel Njuguna said on Monday that the government would take action against individuals who would be found violating the directive.
He spoke at the Garissa children’s home after donating relief hampers from Unicef to benefit at least 800 children from vulnerable families that were displaced by the floods in Garissa. The hampers contained soap, sandals, underwear, T-shirts, toothpaste, clothes, sanitary towels and portable solar lamps.
Some 2,400 families have been displaced in Garissa.
Njuguna gave the example of 70 farmers in Raya who were rescued on Sunday by the county and subcounty security team. He said the farmers had on several occasions been rescued by the Kenya Red Cross, but they kept on returning to their farms against the advice of the government.
“Flood menace continues to be a big issue in our county. We are frustrated by some households who, after being evacuated, keep on turning back and later are marooned by floods,” Njuguna said.
He told communities in flood-prone areas to wait for the floodwaters to subside before they can return and restart their lives.
“We are appealing to communities to obey government orders for their own safety. The floods will continue for some time,” the administrator said.
