Crisis as floods wash away town’s link roads, displace over 1,000

Disaster is looming in Kinango town, Kwale County, after the area was cut off from the rest of the region by floods.

The water cut off all the four roads to the town.

A crisis meeting between national and county government engineers and leaders was held at the Ministry of Public Works headquarters in Nairobi today to address the issue.

FIVE DEAD
Kinango MP Gonzi Rai, who attended the meeting, told the Daily Nation on phone that food supplies had dwindled and prices of foodstuff shot up following diminished supply.

“We have just come out of a crisis meeting as the situation worsens in Kinango.

"We don’t want it to get out of hand and both the national and county government officials attended the meeting to see how to resolve the issue quickly,” Mr Rai said.

Following heavy rains in the area, that killed at least five people, the Samburu-Kinango, Mariakani-Kinango, Mazeras-Kinango and Kwale-Kinango link roads have all been washed away by raging floods in the past three days.

FOOD SHORTAGE
The Mombasa-Lungalunga road had also been cut off at Perani and Ramisi, where bridges were submerged, while the Kanana Culvert on the same road was also submerged.

Mr Rai said maize floor, sugar, bread and other essential commodities had run out in the town and surrounding shopping centres, leading to a critical shortage.

“I told the meeting that road engineers and equipment must be dispatched to the affected areas urgently to get the washed bridges replaced and roads repaired. If left unattended, the situation may degenerate into a crisis,” he said.

TRANSPORTATION AFFECTED
Commuters using Lungalunga-Likoni highway in Kwale were forced to seek alternative routes after a section of the road caved in near Ramisi Bridge on Wednesday night.

Residents called for the construction of other major roads connecting Lungalunga and Mombasa through Kinango-Samburu-Mazeras as an alternative.

A resident, Mr Juma Mohammed, called on the government to improve infrastructure in the county.

Meanwhile, the Mombasa County government has set aside Sh20 million to help people affected by heavy rains and improve infrastructure.

RELIEF ASSISTANCE
County Secretary Francis Thoya said the money will cater for hundreds of people housed at rescue centres after they were displaced by the floods.

Speaking when he oversaw demolition of structures blocking drainages in Mwamlai, Mr Thoya said the county has put up rescue centres to help the affected families.

“In the initial stages of this disaster preparedness programme, we are giving relief assistance to our people. As the demand keeps on rising, we might put in some more funds to help our people,” Mr Thoya said.

He said that the county would destroy all walls built on drainages in all the six sub-counties, which he said were the cause of the floods.

LOCALS LEFT HOMELESS

In Siaya and Vihiga counties, hundreds of families have been left homeless after heavy rains swept away their homes.

At least 1,000 people in Nyadorera location in Alego-Usonga, Siaya County, were forced to seek refuge in churches and other public places.

Mr Felix Odongo, the area assistant chief, said the heavy rains have pounded the area for the past two days, leaving a trail of destruction.

In Vihiga, roofs of eight houses at Musitinyi village in Emuhaya were blown off on Wednesday night, injuring two men and a woman.

Mr Zebedee Boran, 69, was treated at Musitinyi dispensary.

He said: “I was in the house with my wife when I heard a loud bang. I saw the roof being blown away. I went outside but I could not see where it had landed as it was raining heavily.”

His neighbour, Edna Lijenga, 65, was still coming to terms with the effects of the rains. “I thank God I am alive,” she told the Nation.

Reported by Daniel Nyassy, Fadhili Fredrick, Winnie Atieno, Mohamed Ahmed, Nelcon Odhiambo and Derick Luvega