Heavy downpour in Kwale county has led to deaths of five people with hundreds of others being displaced and road transport and bridges cut off.
More than 1,500 families in the county have been left homeless after their houses were submerged by floods in the
county.
A local Pastor, Gideon
Masyuki
on Tuesday told The Star that several people were on top of trees at
Nikaphu
area in Chigombero within LungaLunga.
“The area is surrounded by water and household’s items as well as domestic animals have been swept away by floods,” he said.
On Tuesday, The Kenya National Highways Authority The roads authority has urged motorists to exercise caution, especially after flooding, as heavy rains pound several parts of the country.
KeNNHA singled out Mombasa-Kilifi-Malindi highway where Mbogolo Bridge near Kilifi town was submerged.
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Apolo Kioko, a resident in Kinango said that road transport between Mazeras and Kinango has been cut off after Mwache dam burst its banks.
“Government should intervene and ensure at least teachers and pupils stuck in both sides are helped,” he said.
In Mombasa, at least nine people have died as a result of the heavy rains.
On Monday, six people, including a mother and her children, were killed after the Pandya Hospital border wall collapsed on a house in Mbaraki, Mombasa.
A day after, a father and daughter were killed while the mother was seriously injured.
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Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya on Tuesday said that the flood water has affected water supply after the main pipeline supplying Mombasa through Marere River from Kwale was washed away.
“We are liaising with the national government to assist locals. They have already formed an emergency response team to deal with the issue,” he said.
He said that as part of the response plan, the national and county government has provided 2,840 bags of Maize to be shared among the affected families.
Also to be shared to the flood victims include 160 kilograms of chlorine powder for water treatment which is at risk of transmitting cholera.
Mvurya said that 150 treated mosquito nets have been supplied to locals.
“We are going to make sure no more life is lost in this calamity and we are promising to stand by our people during this hard time,” he said.
The Governor said that a technical team from the Coast Water Service board has already been sent to Marere River to prepare the damaged pipeline.
Marine police have also been contacted to help locals to cross the flooded rivers to safer places.
Elsewhere over twenty families in Darling village in Diani, Kwale County will spend the night in cold after their houses were submerged by floods.
Evelyne Kendi said that the rain started at night unexpectedly and all of a sudden the floods got into their houses through doors and windows
“All my households are soaked in water. I want to shift because I cannot wait for further damages” she said.