This archive report was first published on 6 May 2020.
As heavy rains continue to batter Kenya, the death toll from floods has risen to 194, with another 30 people losing their lives in the last 24 hours, according to Devolution CS Eugene Wamalwa.
Wamalwa warned that the situation is dire, with rivers bursting their banks and causing widespread destruction. He urged residents living in flood-prone areas, particularly those near rivers such as the Nzoia and Tana, to move to higher ground immediately.
“For those asking where they will move to, note that County commissioners are helping people to move. We are currently using some closed schools as shelter grounds for the affected families,” Wamalwa said.
Interior CS Fred Matiang’i echoed Wamalwa’s sentiments, stressing that the government is doing everything in its power to move people away from danger using public resources. “We do not have an option. We are moving people by force even if it means putting them in lorries ourselves,” Matiang’i said.
The Meteorological department has projected that the coming days will see more rains, particularly in the Garissa, Tana River, and coastal regions. Water levels in some dams across the country have also risen to unprecedented levels, posing a high risk to people living in surrounding areas.
Energy CS Charles Keter has appealed to those living downstream of the Masinga dam, Kenya’s largest hydropower dam, to relocate as soon as possible, as the water levels have risen to 57.86 meters above sea level, the highest since the dam was built.
The government has pledged to continue providing food and water aid to the displaced families, including cash transfers.
Published on May 6, 2020, at 2:30 PM.
