Two family members drown in River Kerio, two injured

Two family members are dead and two others injured after drowning in the flooded river Kerio in Barwessa Ward, Baringo North Sub-county on Friday.

The body of the deceased Catherine Amge, class seven pupil at Kaptilingon primary school was recovered and police took to the County referral hospital mortuary-Kabarnet.

“I escaped death by a whisker and I thank God to be a live. I strangled to get out of the deep flowing river and the water nearly chocked me three times” 28-year old survivor Gladys Kandagor said.

Kandagor, wife of one of the victims, said they-Four of them, were concertedly holding their hands together to wade over the flooded river during the 10am incident.

She said they were headed to recover their missing cows suspected to have been driven away and detained by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) inside Rimoi conservancy across the neighboring Elgeyo-Marakwet County.

“While midway, the strength and the depth of the water were overwhelming forcing us to separate our hands” she said.

She said she suddenly heard the sister to her husband, Catherine, “screaming for help behind me but nobody was available at the scene to rescue her so she helplessly drowned and got swept away” Kandagor said.

“I was finally lucky to get hold of a hard stone and jumped out of the river and then I vomited several times before I was rushed to the hospital” she said.

At her hospital bed, Gladys was still shivering while complaining of painful stomach, hands, legs and chest pains.

She said her husband luckily escaped with minor injuries while his brother is still missing.

“We rushed Gladys to the hospital. Doctors assured us of her stable health condition but we are yet to be served with the medical bill and when she will be discharged” her sister Mercy said.

However, Katibel Sub-location assistant Chief James Kamuren confirmed the incident saying the victims were both from one family.

“We mobbed up the area youth to search the missing two members but we were only lucky to recover the body of the girl and we are still pursuing the river to look for the other body” Kamuren said.

He called upon the residents to be careful while walking around or crossing over swollen rivers especially during such rainy season.Ends