Hundreds displaced in Taita Taveta as rains wreak havoc

More than 700 residents in Taveta, Taita Taveta County, have been displaced by floods following heavy rains, Red Cross officials say.

The residents have been forced to seek accommodation from their friends and well-wishers across the county.

Places affected by the floods include Rekeke, Kitobo, Wanganga, Lesuyai, Gregan, Tangini, among others.

Farmers are counting losses after floodwaters washed away their crops and swept away some of their livestock.

The farms have been submerged in water and feeder roads rendered impassable.

Some farmers said they have not been able to access their farms for weeks now and are estimating loses running into thousands of shillings.

A farmer in Mboghonyi, Moses Kiriro, said he had not supplied his customers with bananas for two weeks now because his banana plantation was submerged in water. 

“It rains almost every day and I cannot access my farm,” he said.

Another farmer, Benson Kileta, said he is unable to ferry food crops from his farm to the market because the roads are impassable.

The Illasit-Njukini-Taveta road which connects Taveta and Loitoktok has also been destroyed by the floods.

Motorists heading to Nairobi have been forced to use alternative routes.

“We are using the Tanzania route or Voi route then connect with Nairobi-Mombasa highway,” Nelson Mutua, said a matatu driver.

Four people have died in rain related incidents in Voi, Mwatate and Taveta in the recent past. Among those who died are two children.

County Red Cross coordinator Joram Oranga said the humanitarian organisation has distributed blankets, kitchen sets, soaps and jerricans to the affected people.

He said the most affected area is Lesuyai Village in Mata.

He said the more than 200 villagers settling on the mouth of Lake Jipe are in urgent need of aid.

"Water from the rivers end up in the village. The villagers have been urged to vacate the area but they say they have nowhere to go," he said.