- Kano plains and the Nyando areas within Kisumu are expected to receive overwhelming floods
- Oricho said they have identified and mapped out the places and areas that are prone to flooding and where the floods have been destroying property.
Image: MAURICE ALAL
Kisumu county government has urged residents in flood prone areas to move to safe areas as it puts in place measures to mitigate possible floods ahead of the El Nino rains.
The Kano plains and the Nyando areas within Kisumu County are expected to receive overwhelming floods even as the long rains season begins according to the weatherman's prediction.
County director for disaster management and emergency preparedness Maurice Oricho said the county has taken adequate steps to ensure the floods do not disrupt the lives of the residents.
He announced they have identified evacuation centres including churches in response to the adverse cycle of flooding in the region.
The county, he said, has also started desilting the local rivers to avert the floods menace.
“We have desilted the rivers that are prone to flooding and increased their depths so their water carrying capacity is greatly increased,” Oricho said.
Oricho said they have also identified and mapped out the places and areas that are prone to flooding for mitigation.
“We are appealing to our people to be on alert and to move to safer and higher grounds at the evacuation centres to prevent loss of lives and property,” he said.
He noted they have been meeting various stakeholders, including representatives of the national government and humanitarian aid organisations, in readiness for any eventuality.
According to Oricho, the county has also put all disaster management committees on high alert to respond to emergencies.
He has called for the completion of the Koru- Soin Dam to hold waters from Kericho and Nandi Counties as a permanent solution to the perennial flooding.
Over the years, residents of Nyando, Nyakach, Kadibo, Muhoroni and Kisumu East Sub Counties have borne the brunt of the ravaging floods every rainy season.
"River Nyando rarely breaks its banks on normal rains received within Lake Victoria regions. Once the Koru-Soin dam is complete, it will hold water that will only be released in controlled volumes when need arises," Oricho said.
The county has prioritized desiltation of water channels which are bound to break banks to avert any devastating effects of flooding and loss of lives.
"Sub-counties which receive floods are now under embankment and desiltation works. There are two ongoing works in Kabonyo Kanyagwal; the Aguko, Orecha and Kogonda channels," Oricho said.
"The efforts, aim to increase the volume of water the channels can carry and therefore reducing incidents of flooding along their path," he added.
The major cause of flooding in areas like Ombaka and Ogenya has been the backflow of water from Lake Victoria.
Oricho further pointed out that the county is drenching River Nyando up to the lake to deepen the shores to help stop the backflow.
The county disaster management committee is multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary, consisting of the county government and ten other in-line-ministries from the National Government.
Other partners engaged in the preparation for the El Nino rains include the UN Agencies such as UNICEF, Red Cross, Plan International, Care Kenya and SWAP.
“Disaster management is a shared responsibility between the county, national governments and the private sector. The national government and the private sector are expected to offer support,’’ Oricho said.