• Matiang'i called for cooperation with the government "or else we will forcefully move them to ensure they are safe.”
• Rivers Nzoia, Nyando and Tana had burst their banks in the past two weeks, affecting thousands of people.
Image: CHARLENE MALWA
The government on Wednesday started evacuating people from water-soaked North Eastern, Eastern and Coastal regions to safer grounds as the floods death toll countrywide reached 194.
“We will be using public resources to move people in Garissa and Tana River to safer places," Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i said.
The CS called for cooperation with the government "or else we will forcefully move them to ensure they are safe.”
Matiang'i spoke at the Kenya Meteorological department offices in Nairobi during a ministerial briefing on the flood situation in the country.
His Devolution counterpart Eugene Wamalwa said 30 people have died since Monday when the death toll was 164.
Eugene said rivers Nzoia, Nyando and Tana had burst their banks in the past two weeks, affecting thousands of people.
“Kenyans should adhere to Met department warning of heavy rains in the coming days. Those near rivers and dams should move to safer grounds as quickly as possible,” he said.
Energy CS Charles Keter said major water bodies have recorded unprecedented levels and there was a need to evacuate the affected residents.
“Masinga dam has reached a historical level of 1,057.56 metres above sea level. The normal maximum flood level is 1,056.5 metres. Those living downstream in Tana River and Garissa counties should move to higher grounds.
"Water level at the Turkwel dam is now 1,139 metres above sea level. And the situation is getting worse as the rains are becoming heavier, as per the Met forecast,” Keter said.
The weatherman has forecast the cessation of the long rains from this month in most parts of the country except the Coastal and Western regions.
Several parts of the Lake Victoria basin Western Kenya, central & southern Rift Valley; Central Kenya including Nairobi and North Western Kenya will experience slightly enhanced rainfall.
“Counties in the Coastal region, South-Eastern, Northern and North-Eastern are likely to receive near average with a tendency to below-average rainfall,” the weather forecast indicates.
Water and Sanitation CS Sicily Kariuki said the floods have ruined 8,000 acres of crops including mature rice.
She said infrastructure has been destroyed in parts of Lake Victoria and Aberdare regions, leading to water shortage in Nairobi, Kisumu, Nyeri and Nakuru counties.
“Water scarcity will continue in the coming five days but the government is distributing potable drinking water to the affected populations,” Kariuki said.
Matiang’i said the government has raised the floods alert level to minimise damage and enhance the safety of those in the affected areas. The alert will last until the people are out of danger.
- mwaniki fm