Fear of disease outbreak following widespread flooding

Thousands of people across the country have been left homeless by the ongoing downpours.

In Naivasha and Gilgil, about 100 families were displaced after their homes, farms and several estates in towns were flooded.

There are also fears of a disease outbreak after latrines were filled up and drainage systems were swept away.

In Naivasha, many former workers at Karuturi flower farms were left homeless after their houses were flooded while in Gilgil, residents of Ngomongo Estate were forced to relocate. 

Motorists using the Moi South Lake and Mai Mahiu-Narok roads were also put on high alert after sections of the two roads flooded.

President Uhuru Kenyatta told Kenyans to move to safe grounds to avert further loss of lives. He said heavy rains being experienced in many parts of the country have led to flooding, landslides, destruction of property and death.

He spoke on Saturday while addressing the nation on the Covid-19 status.

So far, 29 Kenyans have died in Elgeyo Marakwet and West Pokot in landslides and about 20 others are reported missing.

Uhuru told residents of Tana River, Kitui, parts of Makueni, Murang’a, Kiambu, Elgeyo Marakwet, West Pokot and Nyando areas to move to safe places. He said the government will continue to support victims.

“We have mobilised the deployment of resources — including rescue personnel from our various security and humanitarian agencies, covering the Kenya Defence Forces, the National Police Service and Special Programmes sections of other agencies — to the affected regions to provide emergency response, mitigation and preventative action,” he said.

The President called on Kenyans to adhere to early warnings being issued by the Interior Ministry and the Meteorological department.

Naivasha subcounty commissioner Mathioya Mbogo said the rains have caused massive destruction and losses in Naivasha town and its suburbs. He urged families living on the shores of Lake Naivasha and rivers Malewa and Karati to move to safe grounds.

“Naivasha is among those towns hardest hit by the floods and we are working with other agencies like Red Cross to assist the affected,” he said.

On Moi South Lake Road, the ongoing rehabilitation had been stopped, with rains further affecting the flow of traffic.

“In some sections, the contractor had dug up trenches as part of the rehabilitation and they have now flooded posing a major danger to motorists,” he said.

In Karuturi, more than 60 families were forced to relocate from their houses due to the rains that flooded their homes and destroyed personal effects.

Wilberforce Okumu, a victim, said it had become the norm for the estate located off Moi South Lake Road to flood whenever it rained. He accused a nearby flower farm of diverting the water to their homes leading to the massive loss of food and property.

“We have suffered for years even after the farm was closed down and we are now counting more losses due to the floods,” he said.

In Gilgil, the chairman of the business community Charles Kariuki said nearly all the estates and the town centre had been affected by the floods.

“Two years ago, the government promised Sh800 million towards upgrading the town drainage system and we are still waiting,” he said.

In Kisumu, several villages and schools, including Maembe, Ahero Girls, Kamidumbi and Oketha, were affected by flash floods. Some of the displaced, according to the Kenya Red Cross, are camping at the District Officer's office. The Red Cross Kisumu and multi-agency team are assessing the situation to determine the number of households affected.

In Central Kenya, heavy rains being experienced in parts of the Mt Kenya and Aberdares regions have led to an increase in the volume of water being spilt by the Seven Fork dams.

Motorists heading to Nairobi from Homa Bay, Kuria, Migori, Kisii, Bomet and Narok have been told to use the Kericho-Nakuru route.

Close to 300 families living near River Tana have been displaced barely three months after they returned to their homes.

The most affected areas are Ziwani, Bakuyu, Bulla Sheikh, Windsor and Mororo in Tana river county. The victims are camped at ATC grounds, Kazuku Primary school, Young Muslim and those from Mororo have taken shelter along the Garissa - Nairobi Highway.

Ahmed Ibrahim, Arid Lands Development Focus CEO, said the situation at the displacement camps is dire and that majority of the displaced families lost their crops to the desert locust and were recovering from the December floods.

In Busia, more than 10,000 people could be displaced if the heavy rains continue. Those projected to be affected are residents living along Rivers Malaba and Nzoia and along the shores of Lake Victoria.

County Disaster Management department director Joseph Ekisa said the subcounties likely to be affected by floods include Bunyala, parts of Samia, Matayos and Teso North and South.

Already, over 4,000 people have been displaced in Bunyala South in Budalang’i especially residents of Rugunga sub-location.

The meteorological department has that warned heavy rains will continue in many parts of the country, causing flooding.

According to the five-day weather forecast, rainfall is expected to continue over most parts of the country including Siaya, Kisumu, Homa Bay, Migori, Kisii, Nyamira, Trans Nzoia, Baringo, Uasin Gishu, Elgeyo-Marakwet, Nandi, Nakuru, Narok, Kericho, Bomet, Kakamega, Vihiga, Bungoma and Busia counties.

Nairobi, Nyandarua, Laikipia, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Murang'a, Kiambu, Meru, Embu and Tharaka counties are likely to receive heavy rainfall till Wednesday.

But the rainfall amounts may reduce over several areas towards the end of the five-day forecast period.

Edited by R.Wamochie