Hundreds in need of aid as floods wreak havoc in Lamu

Hundreds of residents of villages affected by floods in Lamu County are in dire need of food and medication.

The residents, mostly at Bodhai-Junction on the border of Lamu and Garissa counties as well as Pandanguo and Chalaluma, have for the past one week been witnessing ravaging floods, mostly caused by rivers bursting their banks and sending torrents of water into the villages.

One of the rivers which has contributed to the raging floods is Lagwarera. This is a seasonal river originating from the Ethiopian highlands, which burst its banks several months ago.

TRANSPORT

Other rivers are Kulang and Il Dere which have so far caused serious floods within Bodhai-Junction village and completely paralysed transport in the area.

All the 70 households living in Bodhai-Junction village are currently in dire need of food and medical aid as the residents have been unable to cross over to neighbouring villages to buy food items. This is after the floods washed away all roads connecting the villages to other parts of Lamu.

Among the roads which have been cut off include the Bar’goni-Bodhai-Junction road and Bodhai-Ijara, which are the main connections between Bodhai-Junction and the other villages.

Hunger-stricken residents told the Nation on Sunday that it is impossible for food trucks to access their village while they cannot also leave to go and buy food and medicine elsewhere.

APPEAL FOR FOOD

Mr Hussein Ajo pleaded with the government and well-wishers to supply them with food aid, tents, bedding and medical aid.

“We are suffering here. No one can come to our village and no one can leave. Our biggest problem is food and medication. Since the floods washed away our roads and bridges, movement here is a nightmare. The daring ones have to swim across, which is very dangerous as one can drown,” said Mr Ajio.

Pregnant women and children are bearing the brunt of the situation as they cannot access hospitals.

In Pandanguo village in Lamu West, heavy rains that have been experienced in the area for the last one week have rendered the 21-kilometre Pandanguo-Witu road impassable.

Over 2,000 residents live in Pandanguo village which is the main home to Lamu’s minority Boni people.

ROAD IMPASSABLE

Residents interviewed by the Nation said they are unable to access shops, hospitals, schools and other services following the bad state of the road.

Pandanguo village elder Adan Golja said they are worried about a possible food crisis if alternative means are not sought to ensure they receive food.

Boda boda riders have also been unable to access the area since the rains started.

“The situation is really bad. The drugs in the dispensary are almost finished. We can’t reach the hospital in Witu. We can’t even get to the markets or shops to buy food items as our road has been completely rendered impassable. We don’t know what will happen now,” said Mr Golja.

He called on the national and county governments to consider rehabilitating the Pandanguo-Witu road, which is their only connection with other parts of the county.

HOUSES SUBMERGED

In Chalaluma Village, about 10 houses have been submerged.

The floods in the area are mainly caused by rivers Tana and Nyongoro after they burst their banks.

Contacted, Lamu Red Cross Society Coordinator Kauthar Alwy said the situation is most dire in Bodhai-Junction where a whole village is currently inaccessible due to flooding.

Mrs Alwy said her office is in talks with the county commissioner’s office and other partners in a move aimed at helping the flood victims in the affected villages.

She said her office has also sent a team to various areas of the county to assess and establish the exact number of flood victims.

She advised locals residing in low-lying areas to move to safer areas.