Desolate north where it pours when it rains, sun scorches when it shines

The heavy rains, which were earlier thought to be a blessing to a drought-ravaged northern Kenya, have turned out to be a curse, bringing death, displacement and destruction.

For Wajir, Garissa, Mandera, Marsabit and Isiolo residents, the start of the rains had signalled the end of tiresome searches for water and pasture for their livestock. Just a few months ago, they had lost thousands of livestock due to drought.

But, just like the dry spell spelt doom for thousands of their livestock, the heavy rains have also swept their herds away in a cruel twist of fate. It would seem like, in the north, when it rains it pours, and when it shines it scorches.

In Marsabit, a 15-year-old girl drowned in a flooded River Hallam in Kargi on Sunday. Kargi Chief Moses Galoro said the girl was swept away while trying to cross the river.

Her body was retrieved later that evening.

Laisamis Sub-county is bearing the brunt of the flooding, recording the first fatalities in the county.

They included a 70-year-old man and a three-year-old boy. Some 120 families have been displaced and 150 livestock swept away since October 24.

Read: North Eastern leaders in appeal for emergency aid

Log Logo Chief Andrew Korole said the 70-year-old man was asleep in his hut when the raging flood waters. A six-year-old girl also drowned in a flooded trench in the same area.

 Most of the feeder roads have been submerged and some washed away, making transportation impossible. Kargi MCA Christopher is among the local leaders who have made frantic appeals for urgent humanitarian aid in Laisamis.

The region, he complained, was already grappling with high malnutrition levels following the drought that saw pastoralists lose 70 per cent of goats and sheep,65 percent of camels, and 80 per cent of cattle. Last week, Marsabit Governor Mohamud Ali also launched an appeal for humanitarian aid to the affected areas.

Pastoralist Initiative and Development Assistance Director Patrick Katelo lamented that over 40,000 residents had been affected and expressed fears that the number could rise further as humanitarian agencies were unable to access the affected areas.

In Wajir, the rains have led to the closure of major bridges and roads. Governor Ahmed Abdullahi’s administration has been forced to airlift drugs to the county, while the national government has been distributing relief supplies to some 30,000 displaced residents.

In Mandera, residents of Fincharo Location have been forced to vacate their homes, while in Garissa, the county government has been distributing relief food to displaced families.

More than 3,000 families in Isiolo County have lost their homes.

The populous Isiolo town and Ngaremara trading centre are among the areas grappling with floods that have left a trail of destruction, with key government offices rendered inaccessible.

Traders have been left counting heavy losses after losing their wares.

Besides lack of litter bins, reckless disposal of plastic waste has also contributed to clogging of the town’s drainage.

The swelling of River Ewaso Nyiro has worsened the situation especially in the lower areas of the county including Iresaboru, Merti and Garbatulla.

Last week’s heavy downpour left several offices, businesses and hundreds of homes within Bulapesa and Wabera wards marooned in floods.

More than 50 houses at Kambi Sheraff in Wabera Ward were waterlogged and a wall to one of the homes fell off Monday night.

Flooding within Isiolo town lasts for several hours thanks to the sloppy terrain that drains the waters to the lower Ngaremara area, paralysing business at the bustling urban centre.

The raging flood waters have also cut off key feeder roads including the one leading to Ngaremara Primary School which is also marooned in floods.

A young woman almost drowned as she tried to cross the deluge that had covered part of the Isiolo-Moyale highway but luckily managed to manoeuvre to safety after holding onto a piece of floating debris.

Mr Robert Epua, whose nine goats were swept away on Monday night, said the situation was being worsened by poor drainage systems and flood water coming from neighbouring Meru County.

“We cannot access local shops because they are marooned in floods but we have to take the risk [of walking through the flood waters] because nobody will provide for our families,” he said.

Read: Death and destruction as floods maroon homes

Another resident, Mr Francis Muolia, appealed to Governor Abdi Ibrahim Guyo’s administration to find alternative ways of draining the flood waters and also provide food and tents to the affected families.

“The government should come to our rescue. We do not have places to run to because we are facing the same plight as our neighbours,” Mr Muolia said.

Ms Josephine Muli, who operates an eatery in Ngaremara trading centre, was shocked to find her premises waterlogged and several items destroyed by the waters.

“I am waiting to see if the water level will go down so that I can go back home and check on my children,” the mother of two said.

The county has, over the past two weeks, experienced an average rainfall of 128.6mm according to the Meteorological Department, with Kinna, Isiolo town, Kulamawe and Garbatulla stations recording the highest amounts at 311.9mm, 204.6mm, 196mm and 153.8mm respectively.

While a past forecast had listed Kinna, Dadachabasa, Ngaremara, Burat, Korbesa, Malkagalla, Merti, Badana, Sericho, Gafarsa, Kiwanjani and Bulapesa as the flood-prone areas, Tuluroba, Kambi Sheraff, Safi Estate, Ola Odha have also been included as hotspot areas.

Community leader Osman Shariff Abukar cited the lack of designated sites to accommodate those displaced from their homes and an emergency response coordination centre as among the factors that are hindering effective response to the disaster.

“There is need for the State and non-governmental organisations to establish an emergency response centre and sites where those affected by floods can be temporarily hosted while waiting for the rains to subside,” Mr Shariff said.

A section of the ward representatives had earlier lamented that the number of those affected as projected by the Kenya Red Cross and the County Special Programmes Department was below the actual figure on the ground.

Ngaremara MCA Peter Losu and his Burat, Bulapesa and Wabera counterparts Nicholas Lorot, Nyoro Waithaka and Salesio Kiambi called for a thorough assessment so that no needy family is left behind.

“I am surprised that people affected in my ward have not been listed as aid beneficiaries. They too should receive food. The government should help with the reconstruction of damaged roads to enhance accessibility,” Mr Waithaka said.

Some 880 displaced families across the county are set to benefit from recent joint aid by the Kenya Red Cross and the county government.

A young man recently lost his life while crossing a flooded River Isiolo at Shambani area while riding on a motorcycle.

County Commissioner Geoffrey Omoding told Nation that the raging waters had also swept away farms in Burat, Malkadaka, Gafarsa, Muchuro, Merti, Ngaremara and Kombola areas.

“We are on high alert to ensure we do not lose lives,” he said, revealing that the government would in the course of the week distribute food support to the affected families.

County Red Cross Coordinator Gregory Macharia said an assessment of the destruction was being done to identify most affected families that required immediate help.

“We are hoping to mobilise enough aid for the affected families,” Mr Macharia noted.

Reporting by Jacob Walter, Manase Otsialo and Waweru Wairimu