Tana Delta residents forcibly moved amid flood alert

Kenya Red Cross has issued an alert to Tana Delta residents with water levels hitting the red mark on the Garissa Bridge, which is a trigger alarm for floods.

On Friday, Tana River Red Cross Coordinator Jarred Bombe appealed to residents to move to higher ground, warning that floods are expected in two days’ time.

"The water level is almost above the red mark, and we kindly appeal to residents to adhere to warning sent earlier," Mr Bombe said.

He said there were residents who were still tilling their farms in Galole, and were likely to wake up to flooding if they did not take the alerts seriously.

However, the County Commissioner Oning'oi Ole Sossio assured Nation that by Saturday morning no one will be in the farms.

Mr Sossio said a security team was on the ground to enforce the government directive for residents to move to safer ground.

"I think we have pleaded enough, and the next thing we have to do is save lives by force as we cannot sit and watch individuals attempting suicide,” he said.

In an alert earlier issued on Friday, KenGen said water levels in the Masinga dam had risen to 1,057.03 metres against the maximum level of 1,056.8 cubic metres per second.

KenGen Managing Director Rebecca Miano said following the overflow at Masinga, it is estimated that the resultant water volumes will reach the low lying areas in three to four days.

Latest reports also show that the water levels in areas downstream of the Seven Forks was more than a metre above the flooding trigger alarm of 4m.