The Narok government has opened an emergency and response centre ahead of the expected El Nino rains.
Narok Governor Patrick Ntutu said Narok town is one of the risky areas as flash floods sweep through the area every rainy season.
He recalled in the year 2015, when 23 people died and property worth over Sh1 billion was destroyed after flash floods swept through the town.
The governor said they are unclogging all drainage systems in the town and its environs and ensuring that no structure is built on waterways.
“We have used our past experience to learn. We will not sit down and wait to see our people dying again and property being lost because of lack of preparedness,” Ntutu said.
He was speaking during the commissioning of the office next to the Narok county commissioner’s office.
Governor Ntutu said the Red Cross Society staff will run the new office. He told the members of the public to use the toll free line: 0800722984 to call whenever there is an emergency.
At the same time, the county boss reported that more than 200 military officials will be deployed to respond to any disaster that will occur as a result of the rains.
Kenya Red Cross Society national governor Geoffrey Korir said the role of the society is to alleviate suffering among human beings.
“In every county, we have a committee with an active chairperson who coordinates all our activities. We have enough volunteers who are ready to respond to any disaster that could occur,” he said.
Narok county commissioner Isaac Masinde lauded Governor Ntutu for setting up an emergency and response centre. He said the facility will not only be used for the El Nino season but also in future disasters.
He urged people living in sloppy areas and along waterways to relocate to safer places to avoid being swept away by flash floods.
Later, the governor led his officers to inspect drainages in Narok town.
