- 43 counties have so far been significantly affected, with Tana River being the worst hit
- Red Cross is currently focused on addressing secondary needs to reduce disease outbreaks by ensuring victims have clean water
Image: ALPHONCE GARI
More than 10,200 households have been affected by the flood disaster in Tana River county, with 8,300 of those being from the Tana Delta alone, Kenya Red Cross Society has said.
Head of Operations Venant Ndinghila said 43 counties have so far been significantly affected, with Tana River being the worst hit.
Ndinghila led a delegation that was accompanied by International Federation of Red Cross president Kate Forbes in a tour of the Tana Delta area.
He said some villages in the area are completely submerged, and the situation is expected to worsen with the ongoing rains.
“We are still on in the floods response operation. We still have Kenya Red Cross teams out there responding to the needs of the affected population,” he said.
While they were initially conducting emergency response, Ndinghila said the humanitarian organisation is currently focused on addressing secondary needs to reduce disease outbreaks by ensuring victims have clean water.
There is also an increased need for various forms of relief as those living in camps are unable to access their homes. Most victims were farmers and lost everything as their crops were destroyed before maturity.
“Needs around food are consistently required and they require support. We are making sure they get their nutrition needs,” he said.
The long stay at camps has forced the Red Cross to stretch its support to accommodate over 50,000 households, he said, up from the 30,000 the organisation had planned for.
The IFRC president came face-to-face with the challenges volunteers and travellers faced while going to or from Lamu.
The road was cut off at Gamba along the Garsen-Lamu highway. Passengers are forced to alight at Gamba, board a boat, then switch to another vehicle, making the journey very expensive.
Forbes rode a boat to Bandi village, which was completely submerged, and families are now living at an IDP camp at the Bandi roadblock.
She also visited camps in Minjila and Danisa and held talks with women who are most affected by calamity.
The IFRC president said her visit to Kenya was to assess the impact of climate change and how the crisis has affected the world.
She hailed the Kenya Red Cross Society for the work they are doing including providing shelter, safe water, food, transportation and a safe place for victims.
Those affected asked the government to compensate them for the loss caused by the floods and the massive destruction to their property.
They also want the government to construct permanent houses at the camps as they are "tired of being displaced each year".
Thousands are living in rescue centres since the El Nino floods in November, which combined with this year’s flooding crisis prompted their decision not to go back to their homes to avert more loss.
Mohamed Shafi, a flood victim at Danisa IDP camp, said they were happy to receive the IFCR president who helped them with food, shelter and water.
Another victim, Ibrahim Bocha from Bandi, said they have been living at the IDP camp since December. More than 280 households were hosted there, he said, but said the tents are hot. He asked the government to build them new houses.