Over 800 families displaced as floods wreak havoc in Kenya

Heavy rains and floods ravaged major parts of Kenya, sweeping away homes and livestock and destroying roads and electric transmission lines, authorities said.

More than 800 families have been rendered homeless in Mororo, Bakuyu and Ziwani villages of Madogo in Tana River County after River Tana burst its banks following the heavy downpour in the area.

The heavy rains continue to cause destruction as roads are cut off with families now in need of humanitarian assistance.

Hundreds of families are putting up makeshift structures in the area after they were displaced from their homes.

“Tumepoteza mali yetu yote,tuko kwa shida tuko kwa giza,jana tumesalia tu hapa,” Rehema Vishar, a resident. said.

Another resident, Fowzia Abdallah, stated: “Tangu jana hata hatujakula, unaona hii mchele haina mafuta ndio nimetafutia watoto watakula, jana wamekunywa maji pekee usiku wakalala.

The County Government of Tana River through the Department of Special Programmes and the Red Cross Society have stepped up efforts to distribute non-food items to 100 families in the IDP camps as they source for food.

“Changamoto tumepata hii leo ni athari ni kubwa,wazidi kuzingatia swala la kuhama, athari huenda ziwe kubwa,” Special Programmes Director Luluita Sokorote said.

The Garissa-Bura-Tana-Hola-Malindi-Mombasa road was cut off at Bilbil by floods with reconstruction started soon afterwards.

Some roads in Hola town in an area known as Mikinduni were also damaged extensively by the raging floods.

In Homa Bay County, close to 85 families in Karachuonyo and Wahambla villages have been displaced from their homes due to the ongoing heavy rains and flash floods. Families received relief food from the Homa Bay County government.

“Imeharibu mali ya watu wetu, tumekuja na usaidizi zaidi ila pia tutafute suluhu ya kudumu kwa hii changamoto,” Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga said.

The Dubai – Bahati road in Lodwar, Turkana County, was flooded bringing businesses within the town to a standstill.

“Mvua imetuharibia sana hata inafanya biashara zetu tusifanye kwa haraka,” Naomi Mana, a trader in Lodwar, said.

The Kenya Red Cross indicated that as of Wednesday, at least 85,000 households had been displaced by heavy rains in different parts of the country.