Tana residents urged to move after Masinga dam spillage

Residents of Tana Delta have been told to move to higher grounds in anticipations of more floods after Masinga dam spilt over five days ago.

Tana and Athi Rivers Development Authority (Tarda) managing director Abdul Agonga said the spillage is the worst in recent years and could cause serious havoc downstream.

“We want to urge those living along the banks of the river to vacate and those downstream to move to higher grounds because this is a serious spillage,” Mr Agonga said after assessing the spillage at Masinga on Friday.

Masinga dam is the biggest reservoir along the Tana River and its spillage would consequently cause serious flooding at the delta in Tana River County.

“Apart from power generation, this dam was also constructed to control flooding but now that it is overflown, it means it can no longer hold the water and people downstream will suffer,” he added.

At least 1500 houses have been marooned and more than 10,000 hectares of crops washed away in Tana Delta District as floods continue to wreak havoc in the region following heavy rains from upcountry.

Residents say the flooding has been intensifying each day and Mr Abdul attributed the effect to heavy rains pounding the Aberdares and Mount Kenya regions.

“We are cautioning our people to be more vigilant. This spillage occurred three days ago and in about ten days, it will hit hard around the Delta,” he warned.

The weatherman early last week warned of more rains in the next four weeks and urged for urgent measures to be taken to divert any disasters.

Leaders from the area led by Governor Hussein Dado have appealed for choppers to airlift those marooned and take food aid to the affected.

Tana River is among the counties that have been worst hit by the floods which have killed a total of 63 people countrywide and displaced 34,185 others. Roads and bridges have also been cut off by the floods.

Deputy President William Ruto on Thursday termed the deaths as unfortunate and urged those living in flood prone areas to move to higher grounds to avoid further catastrophe.

He said food will be airlifted to areas which have been cut off by the floods.