Wajir procures food, non-food items for flood victims – governor

The Wajir government in collaboration with Kenya Red Cross Society has supported more than 4,000 households affected by floods with food and non-food items, Governor Ahmed Abdullahi has said.

In his state of the county address at Wajir county assembly, the governor said the county has also procured food and non-food items to support further 10,000 households.

He said they have purchased 234 tonnes of food items, with 48 tonnes already delivered to some of the worst affected areas. 

An estimated 13,600 households have been affected by floods, with 6,500 households being displaced. 

He said nine people have died after drowning in stagnant water, mainly water pans.

Abdullahi said that nearly 70 per cent of the county is inaccessible by road as most have been washed away by the floods.

“The massive flooding has had widespread effects in nearly all sectors. Houses have been extensively damaged, critical infrastructure (roads and bridges), shops, farms, markets, schools, boreholes, water pans and sanitation facilities haven’t been spared either,” he said.

Abdullahi said the floods have greatly affected the community’s access to safe drinking water and disrupted supply by damaging a number of boreholes and water pans across the county. 

He said 42 health facilities and 212 outreach sites have also been cut-off and are inaccessible. 

This, Abdullahi said, has negatively affected provision of critical health and nutrition services to many residents who depend on bi-weekly mobile outreach services.

The governor said the floods have also destroyed the infrastructure of 80 schools. Some 1,705 acres of farms across the county have also been swept away.

He said the health department has trained 50 frontline healthcare workers on epidemic preparedness and response.

“The department has responded to the emergency through engagement of community health promoters to carry out household water treatment and health education, promote sanitation and hygiene practices at household level, and referral of cases to the link health facilities,” Abdullahi said.