• The number has risen from the 194 deaths confirmed during the last briefings on the situation of the floods in the country.
• The CS said unscrupulous government officials taking advantage of relief food will face the law.
Image: MERCY MUMO
Devolution CS Eugene Wamalwa has said the country has lost 237 people since the onset of the short rainy season in April.
The CS warned that the situation is worsening as the number has risen from the 194 deaths confirmed during the last briefing on the situation of the floods in the country.
Wamalwa said that affected households in the country due to floods has also increased to 161,000.
At the same time, the CS has urged Kenyans who are living close to the rivers and to the areas prone to mudslide and landslides to be cautious.
He said that the ongoing rains will continue up to June and more people might be affected.
“With the rain still going on, our dams still filling up and we expect more will be affected. We are here today to urge Kenyans in flood-prone areas, in landslide areas to move to safer grounds,” Wamalwa said.
He added that the government has visited areas that have been mostly hit by the rain havoc to access the situation.
Garissa and Mandera counties in the northern region have been much affected by the floods.
Tana River area has also been affected in the coastal region.
The CS said that Lake Victoria has been largely affected and the water levels keep rising due to the ongoing rain.
Wamalwa said that over 44,000 people have been displaced by the floods in Budalangi alone and over 60,000 in Nyando.
The affected families have been assured of support from the government.
“All families affected will receive support from the national government. In terms of relief food, we continue supplying to all the regions that have been affected,” he said.
The government will also channel clean water to the affected families in their temporary shelters.
The CS has also noted that some unscrupulous individuals have taken advantage of relief food released for the needy for their benefit.
“I want to issue a warning to our unscrupulous officials either of the county government or national government who are mishandling the food that anyone that is found diverting food that has been given to the needy will face the full force of the law,” the CS said.