More families displaced by floods

By Rushdie Oudia

Over 300 families have fled their homes after Rivers Nyando and Sondu burst their banks following the ongoing heavy rains.

The families camping in higher grounds within Nyakach and Nyando Districts were forced to leave their homes in a huff when the raging waters burst the rivers banks, spreading into their homes.

The most affected locations in Nyakach are Nyakach North, Rangul and Nyalunya. In Nyando; Ayweyo, Ogwedhi, Ombeyi, Kachogo, Okana, Kadhiabo, Kathoo and Kanyamtende have been submerged in water.

The floods are as a result of heavy rains pounding Kericho, Kisii, Nandi and Bureti Districts.

Several houses were completely destroyed with many others partially destroyed due to the raging waters of Nyando River that overflowed to the villages on Saturday afternoon.

Red Cross, Western Region Assistant Secretary, Emmanuel Owako said that they had to move most families to higher ground for safety. Owako said that some of the affected people had been integrated within relatives while others were camping at the evacuation centres.

Most locals were camping at Kogalo, Achuodho and Osembe primary School evacuation centres.

Owako said that they had issued mosquito nets, drugs, blankets and tents to the affected locals with the priority being those whose houses had been completely been destroyed.

Locals said their properties such as utensils and animals were swept off by the roaring River Nyando.

One of the victims, Kennedy Ochieng said he had to come from Migori where he was, after getting a distress call from a relative that his house had been swept away.

“I came back only to get my household goods soaked in water,” said Ochieng.

He said that he was moving the few goods left to a relative’s house as he waits for the water to subside.

Nyakach MP Ochieng Daima and his Nyando counterpart Fred Outa said they have communicated to the Ministry of Special Programmes, World Vision and Red Cross, and are waiting for their response.

“The rains are going on and it is important for those still in their homes to closely monitor the situation or move to higher grounds in evacuation centers such as Miruka Primary School,” Daima said.

Waterborne diseases

He said there is need for the government to move in faster before waterborne diseases start spreading in evacuation centers.

Outa said that the government should move with speed to ensure that victims are given food, drugs and other basic needs to sustain them until the floods subside.

The legislator said that the government should implement the proposal it was given eight years ago where dykes were to be built to avert floods by channeling the water to well constructed drainage system.

Outa said that apart from dykes, canals within the region should be desilted so that most of the water flows to the seasonal rivers within the region.

Muhoroni MP Ayiecho Olweny however said some of the locals were contributing to the floods that had rocked the area.

Olweny said that some locals had rice fields near their homes instead of the allocated paddy fields.

This he said, added up to the flooding since the water channeled to their fields combined with rain water and the Nyando River raised the levels that destroyed houses.

Olweny said that the residents had been given CDF money to create drainages but that had not worked because of the fields they had created near their homes.

Ahero resident, Ms Caroline Achieng said her goats were swept way on Saturday, adding that her two children were now staying with a relative.

“It is good the waters came in during the day. It could have been a disaster if the river burst its banks at night,” she said.

Florence Odhiambo who is currently camping at Osembe Primary School, said she was forced to leave her home in a hurry due to huge snakes that had been swept by the waters into her house.