PS sets aside Sh600m for floods

File | NATION
A man salvages what was left of his belongings when floods swept away his belongings in Nairobi last week. Rains have caused havoc across the country.

What you need to know:

  • State has bought lightning arresters and budgeted for repair of key roads

The government has set aside Sh600 million to deal with the effects of the ongoing rains as two more people died in Migori on Thursday.

Out of this amount, Sh100m will buy food to be distributed to people who have been affected by the current heavy rains.

According to the Ministry of Special Programmes, the some of the aid has already been distributed to areas that are anticipated to be hard hit by the rains,

Special Programmes PS Andrew Mondoh on Thursday said the government had prepared itself for the effects of the heavy rains three months ago after being advised by the Metrological Department.

Dr Mondoh said the areas mainly targeted include Kisumu, Garrisa, Mombasa, Nairobi and Nakuru towns .

“All county commissioners will be liaising with the ministry to get authority to distribute the available food and non-food items to victims,” said Dr Mondoh.

Speaking to the Nation on telephone, the PS said a further Sh500 million has been allocated to repair roads that have been destroyed by the rains.

Engineers are already working on the busy Ongata Rongai-Magandi road where six people died after the matatu they were travelling in was swept away by ranging floods.

National disaster

A total of 15 people have died due to floods occasioned by heavy rains, according to government records.

Another 600 families have been displaced in various parts of country.

“We are in the process of fixing lightning arresters in areas such as Teso, Busia and Nandi to curb deaths that may be caused by lightning,” he said.

Meanwhile, two people were killed by floods in Migori and Nyamira counties as heavy rains continued to pound the region.

In Nyamira, a middle aged man was swept away by raging waters of River Gucha in Nyamira Count The man is yet to be identified.

In Migori, residents spotted the body of the second victim under the main bridge connecting Kenya and Tanzania.

Area police boss Alfred Makoma asked those who had lost loved ones to help identify the body.

Administrators also warned residents of Kirinyaga, Kisumu and Marigat to move away from floods-prone areas. More than 10,000 people in Marigat live in flood-prone areas.

Kirinyaga deputy governor Julius Njiri yesterday asked the government to declare floods a national disaster.

Reports by Rachel Kibui, Elisha Otieno, Wycliff Kipsang and George Munene