Families living near Lake Naivasha and River Malewa in Naivasha have been called to relocate as the expected heavy rains started pounding parts of the country as predicted.
Issuing the alert, the National Water Resource Users Association (Nawarua) noted that estates near the water bodies were prone to flooding.
In the last couple of days, parts of Nyandarua and Naivasha which form part of the Lake Naivasha basin have recorded heavy rainfall leading to flash floods in some areas.
Already one person has died in the Moi Ndabi area 50 km from Naivasha town after flash floods from the nearby Maella hills swept her while crossing a flooded stream.
According to Nawarua chairman Enock Kiminta, the predicted El Nino phenomenon was turning out to be a reality with the intensity of the rains increasing by the day.
Kiminta identified Kihoto, KCC, Manera, Kamere and Kasarani as some of the estates that could be affected by the rains as water levels in Lake Naivasha and River Malewa started to rise.
He noted that tens of families who were displaced by the lake three years ago returned to their homes warning that they could be the first casualties of the rains.
Kiminta said that when the lake levels rose three years ago, tens of families and organisations were left counting losses running into millions of shillings.
“Those who were affected by the rising water levels never learnt and they have returned to their homes which were submerged in water,” he said.
He added that there was an urgent need to engage all those on the riparian land to move out as the expected rains started pounding the country.
“There are weather reports that the country will record heavy rains and we should engage all those on riparian land to move out,” he said.
Earlier, the Nakuru county government had issued an alert to families living near water bodies to relocate to higher grounds ahead of the rains.
Issuing the alert, Nakuru County Secretary Dr Samuel Mwaura called on area residents to desist from dumping solid waste in drainages.
In a notice, Mwaura said that the county was working on drainage while calling on the electorate to stay away from flooded areas.
“The general public is hereby put on alert of the impending El Nino rains and we are calling on those near flooded areas to shift to higher grounds,” he said.
