This archive report was first published on 9 May 2020.
On Thursday night, a landslide in Gatanga, Murang'a County, destroyed part of a tea farm, killing five people and leaving many more displaced.
According to Embu County Commissioner Abdulahi Galgallo, the five deaths were confirmed, and he appealed to drivers and boda boda riders to avoid crossing swollen seasonal rivers.
Galgallo also stated that the Government was committed to mitigating the effects of the heavy rains pounding the area.
Meanwhile, in Murang'a County, hundreds of people have been left homeless due to mudslides, with homes of 30 households destroyed in the area.
At Iriari area of Manyatta Constituency, Embu County, several households have been rendered homeless after their houses were flooded by the ongoing heavy rains.
Farmer Njagi Kanake, who lost three acres of maize crop and cabbages, has sent his children to live with relatives to shield them from contracting waterborne diseases.
Embu Agriculture Executive Dr Jamleck Muturi acknowledged that several farmers had lost their crops and were in need of relief food.
On the other hand, in Murang'a, Gatanga Deputy County Commissioner David Rotich asked those in areas listed as risky to relocate to safer grounds.
Rotich stated, "We have relocated eight families to safer grounds. Chiefs and members of the sub-county disaster response committee are assessing the situation," adding that all the roads closed due to landslides had been reopened.
Kenya Rural Roads Authority manager in charge of Murang'a County, Joseph Wanjohi, confirmed that crews worked overnight in Gatanga and Mathioya to clear the debris and boulders from the roads in upper parts of Murang'a.
Additionally, hundreds of flood victims in Garissa County yesterday decried the State's slow pace in responding to their plight amidst fears of coronavirus.
They expressed concerns that social distancing and other measures put in place by the Health ministry to curb the spread of the virus were difficult to observe, and feared a possible outbreak of cholera as their latrines have collapsed.
