Crises loom after dam and rivers overflow

Children play in a flooded area at Obechi village in Homa Bay County on May 18, 2018. PHOTO | ISAAC WALE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Hydroelectric dams along the Tana River Basin have risen to a three-year high following months of heavy rains.
  • Traders at Delamare business centre in Naivasha were on Friday counting losses after the seasonal Karati River broke its banks.

Residents living along Tana River are yet to move to higher grounds following the spillage of Masinga dam that is likely to cause floods.

Garissa County Kenya Red Cross Coordinator Tusmo Ogle said only a handful of people have relocated.

She said while the Red Cross team has raised awareness on the impending floods for the last two days, residents have refused to move.

“We appeal to residents to heed warning of the floods and move to safer grounds.

"We also request for assistance from all stakeholders so we can evacuate residents,” she said.

Hydroelectric dams along the Tana River Basin have risen to a three-year high following months of heavy rains.

LEARNING
Energy Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter urged residents of Garissa, Hola, Garsen and Bura to move to higher grounds after announcing that dams would start overflowing.

County Commissioner Oning’oi ole Sosio said the government would forcefully evict Tana River residents to safer areas to avert disaster.

His remarks came after a number of villagers started returning to their homes from camps, where they had settled after being displaced by floods.

Some of the villagers have vowed not to move from their homes, saying they cannot leave their farms.

In Nyandarua, hundreds of pupils and students are not going to school due to swollen rivers and flooded classrooms, the Nation has learnt.

LANDSLIDES

At Engineer in Kinangop, Rugongo Secondary Deputy Principal Njoroge Maina said hundreds of students have consistently skipped lessons due to swollen Baaru and Ming’utiu rivers, which surround the institution.

“The floods are affecting the syllabus coverage, but we cannot risk the lives of the children. Water is overflowing through the bridge.

"We appeal to the government to construct raised footbridges connecting the school with Weru, Gitungo, and Washington villages,” he said.

The situation is similar at Gatimu Primary in Ol Joro Orok.

In Murang’a, the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) warned motorists against using the Nyeri-Kangema-Gacharage-Thika Road because of sporadic landslides.

BUSINESS
KenHA in a statement said Kawrino, Gachocho, Marumi, Gautya, Karega and Kahuti areas have been affected.

The authority also warned those using Othaya-Kangema Road through Kanjama area.

In Nakuru, traders at Delamare business centre in Naivasha were on Friday counting losses after the seasonal Karati River broke its banks, flooding business outlets.

Water Resource Authority sub-regional manager in charge of Lake Naivasha and Nakuru, Mr Geoffrey Mworia, said some residential estates had also been affected by floods.

DISPLACED
In Kisumu, five evacuation centres have been set-up in Nyakach-West Ward, which is the most affected.

And in Rachuonyo-North in Homa Bay, atleast 21 families have been displaced and are camping at Osodo Primary.

Red Cross Western region director Hellen Cheruto said the organisation had dispatched its officers to assess the situation, and asked the residents to move to secure grounds.

Reporting by Mohamed Ahmed, Waikwa Maina, Macharia Mwangi, Victor Otieno and Abdimalik Hajir