Floods kill 112 as Red Cross appeals for funds
Flooded houses in Kadzandani, Nyali constituency, Mombasa County, in a picture taken on May 6, 2018. Nyali MP Mohamed Ali distributed food and clothes in the area. PHOTO | LABAN WALLOGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
Major disruption of livelihoods, due to population displacements and flooding of business premises has occurred in these counties and at least 29 schools either submerged or inaccessible.
The Kenya Red Cross Society is appealing for more than Sh499 million to help 150,000 people in different counties.
Kenya Red Cross Society Secretary-General Dr Abbas Gullet said the money will be used to provide shelter, healthcare and food, water, sanitation and hygiene, among other necessities.
At least 112 people have been killed and more than 260,000 displaced as heavy rains continue being experienced across the country. And help might not be coming soon to many since the Red Cross says it does not have funds.
In addition, the Kenya Meteorological Department latest forecast shows that the rains will continue in several parts of the country, including the Lake Victoria Basin, the highlands in the Rift Valley, central Kenya, the northern part of the country and the Coast, for the next three days.
48,177
“Localised storms are likely to occur in parts of the above- mentioned areas, resulting in heavy rainfall,” said Mr Peter Ambenje, KMS director.
The Kenya Red Cross Society said that at least 32 counties have been affected since the onset of the March-May long rains.
Secretary-General Dr Abbas Gullet said the floods have displaced about 48,177 households, translating to 260,200 people, paradoxically in the areas prone to drought.
He said Tana River, Garissa, Kilifi, Kisumu, Mandera, Isiolo, Turkana, Marsabit, Makueni, and Kitui were among the 15 hardest hit counties and appealed for more than Sh499 million to help 150, 000 people in the counties.
HYGIENE
“Major disruption of livelihoods, due to population displacements and flooding of business premises has occurred in these counties and at least 29 schools either submerged or inaccessible,” said Dr Abbas during the launch of the appeal at the Boma Hotel in Nairobi on Friday.
He said the money will be used to provide shelter, healthcare and food, water, sanitation and hygiene, among other necessities, adding that the society is planning to escalate its flood response programmes in 21 counties.
Dr Gullet said at least 205 schools have been damaged with 71 in Tana River , Garissa (49), Wajir (42), Baringo (five), Samburu (eight) and Kisumu (15).
Latrines have collapsed in some and education materials destroyed in others. Others cannot be used because they are flooded.
CONTAMINATED
Besides, at least 11 schools are being used as shelters by displaced persons in Garissa and Tana River.
He added that damage to major community water systems has been reported in Garissa, Makueni and Isiolo counties, while shallow wells have been contaminated in Tana River, Kilifi, and Garissa, raising fears of disease outbreaks.
“More than 21,661 acres of crops have been destroyed in Tana River, Garissa, Kisumu, Tharaka Nithi counties. Over 8,223 animals have been washed away and 10 health facilities – four in Tana River and six in Kisumu – flooded.
