More than 5,000 people have been displaced by floods in Kisumu county following the heavy rains.
The rains have caused backflow (the reverse flow of water) from Lake Victoria, leaving houses marooned and others submerged.
Nyando, Kadibo and Kisumu Central sub-counties are among the affected areas.
Kisumu county commissioner Benson Leparmorijo said displaced families are in various evacuation centres with some camping in schools.
“We have families who are in camps while some are integrated with relatives living in raised grounds to prevent loss of lives,” he said.
The commissioner advised those living in flood prone areas to move to safer and higher grounds to be able to access aid.
“The government has distributed relief food to the affected families at the evacuation camps. The ministry of health in partnership with the county government have also put measures for medication,” Leparmorijo said.
The commissioner said the Kenya Red Cross was also on the ground to help in the evacuation of marooned families as efforts to divert the water continue.
He said excavators have been deployed in Kadibo and Muhoroni to help open up the drainage system.
In Kisumu Central sub-county, more than 100 families, the majority being children, are camping at Compassionate Centre for Families in Dunga, within Nyalenda B ward.
Sheila Akinyi, CCF executive director, said they have been receiving affected families into the centre. “Some of those affected are old and cannot walk well. Majority of them are women and children,” she said.
Akinyi appealed for food and non-food aid for the families, saying they also need mosquito nets, blankets and medicines.
Hundreds of families camping at Ombaka Junior Secondary School in Kakola village fear they will soon be sent away as schools reopen next week.
Headteacher David Ochieng said those displaced were too many to be accommodated when classes resume.
“We will have no option but to send them away to allow learning resumes. We are therefore urging the government to find alternative places for the affected,” Ochieng said.
Each classroom is currently accommodating more than 30 people.
One of the victims, Jane Apiyo, has asked the government to step in.
“We are unable to return to our homes because of the trail of destruction by the flood. Our houses have been marooned by floods,” she said.
Ombaka sub-chief Neto Awich, assured the Star that his administration was looking for alternative accommodations, noting that a total of 271 households that were displaced within his area were at Ombaka Primary school.
Awich said arrangements to have some seek temporary refuge from their relatives are being made, while others will camp within church compounds, as others opt to rent space at Riat Market.
