Ruinous floods sweep across Turkana County killing seven
Floods destroyed Kalotum Bridge cutting off Kalokol-Lodwar in Turkana County. The floods have displaced hundreds of people in the county leaving seven dead. PHOTO | SAMMY LUTTA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
Governor Josephat Nanok said hundreds of people were displaced with four people killed in Kalokol.
Some of the affected residents refused to relocate in 2013 after they were offered land on higher ground.
The county chief directed all families staying in flood prone villages to move to higher ground.
The raging floods have hit the county hardly, with seven people already confirmed dead and over 600 goats killed in the past one week.
While on a tour of the most affected villages that include Soweto, California, Natambusio, Kapua and Kalokol, Governor Josephat Nanok said hundreds of people were displaced with four people killed in Kalokol.
The floods in Kalokol Town along the shores of Lake Turkana were caused by River Napasinyan which bust its banks destroying property especially fish stores, homes, roads, bridges and shops in the busy centre.
“Hundreds of people have been displaced in Kalokol with those near the river being the most hit by the flash floods.” said Mr Nanok.
But the governor pointed out that those who were affected had in 2013 been asked to be relocated and given land on higher ground to settle but most of them refused.
Some of those who accepted to be relocated, he said, were given land but later sold the land only for them to return to the banks of the dry river bed.
“However, the county will again relocate the adversely affected families, offer medical supplies, building materials and offer any other humanitarian assistance as the rains are still with us,” he said.
The county chief directed all families staying in flood prone villages to move to higher ground. Mr Nanok appealed to well-wishers to help those affected.
In Lodwar, Turkana Central police boss Joel Kirui said three people were swept away by floods while trying to cross River Kawalase that had cut off Kalokol, Kakuma and Lokichoggio from Lodwar for over a day before water volumes reduced.
The national government’s efforts to stop water from River Kawalase from flooding the villages such as California and Soweto, hit a snag after huge volumes of water destroyed a multimillion gabion.
“After the mega gabion was destroyed the villages were submerged barely five months after Water Cabinet Secretary toured it,” he said.
According to Peter Lomuria, a Soweto resident, the 300-metre gabion was abandoned just and it was only 300 metres away from completion.
