Floods kill 5 and displace 1,500 in Kwale

The ravages of heavy rains pound the Coastal have claimed five lives in Kwale, Governor Salim Mvurya has said.

This brings the total number of lives lost due to the heavy downpour in the region to 14.

9 DEAD

Nine people died in Mombasa on Monday and Tuesday.

In a statement on Wednesday, Mr Mvurya also said the floods had uprooted at least 1, 500 families from their homes and killed livestock.

This comes as roads in Kwale were rendered impassable on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Raging waters washed away Marere Bridge on the Mombasa-Lunga-Lunga road on Tuesday.

Ramisi and Perani bridges were also overtopped by the heavy floods.

BRIDGES

“Kanana Culvert and the two bridges have been overtopped by the floods following the heavy downpour in in Shimba Hills and high tides from the Indian Ocean, making it difficult for water to drain from Kwale and its environs,” the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) said.

Mr Mvurya said they had reviewed the situation in the county and were working together with disaster management teams to support the affected.

Immediate interventions, he said, would include provision of water treatment supplies to reduce cases of water borne diseases, shelter and other essential supplies.

HYGIENE

"Hygiene and sanitation promotion activities will also be conducted in communities and affected areas to avoid any chances of cholera outbreak," he said.

He added that his leadership in conjunction with the national government would distribute food to affected households across the county.

"We have 2840 sacks of maize that will be supplied to the affected families across the county," said Mr Mvurya.

Additional needs resulting from the floods will also include the distribution of 1,500 mosquito nets to the affected families.