Floods displace dozens of families and destroy property in Homa Bay
What you need to know:
- At least 20 mud-walled houses have already collapsed, while the integrity of others has been weakened by the water and could collapse.
At least 134 households have been displaced in Homa Bay County after their homes were flooded following a heavy downpour on Wednesday night.
The affected families are from Rachuonyo North and Suba South.
Both areas have experienced recurrent flooding, but this is the second incident in less than a year.
In Rachuonyo North, flooding displaced more than 100 households in three villages – Kosano, Kamwaya and Nyawana – in Central Karachuonyo Ward.
Most of the affected families have started to move into Simbi Primary School, which is usually used as a shelter.
Kogembo Sub-Location Assistant Chief Hezekiah Owino said more than 600 people, including women and children, from his area had been displaced by the floods.
“Floods hit the villages at midnight when the families were asleep. Some were woken up when water got to their beds,” he said.
At least 20 mud-walled houses have already collapsed, while the integrity of others has been weakened by the water and could collapse.
Residents reported little rainfall in the area on Wednesday and now suspect that the flooding occurred after River Awack Kibuon burst its banks.
“It rained uphill and the water moved downstream and into the homes and farms,” said the chief.
The floods have caused much destruction in the affected villages.
“Animals were killed and crops destroyed. Most of the people who lost their agricultural produce depend on them as a source of income,” Mr Owino said.
Residents said some of their household items were either destroyed or lost.
Ms Rose Odhiambo, a resident of Simbi Kogembo, said children had lost their books.
“The floods have caused a major economic setback. It took us by surprise when we were asleep,” she said.
Families displaced by floods in Rachuonyo North, Homa Bay County.
In Suba South, flooding affected more than 23 families in Nyandiwa, with some people spending the night in the cold after River Wangapala, a seasonal river, burst its banks.
Gwassi West Location Chief Tobias Opiyo said residents had lost property of unknown value and destroyed roads under construction.
“The road from Nyandiwa to Kitawa was cut and nobody could move. Some traders had to spend their night in Nyandiwa trading centre when they were unable to go back home,” he said.
The administrator said the affected families needed medical and humanitarian assistance.
“We expect more rain and the level of destruction will increase. Families need to move to safer ground,” Mr Opiyo said.
Some of the affected families in Rachuonyo North recently returned to their homes after spending weeks in a camp.
Mr Owino said it had become a norm for families to move from their homes to Simbi Primary School every rainy season.
He blamed the problem on a delayed response to flooding in the area.
The government has promised to tackle flooding in Rachuonyo North by dredging the Miriu, Kibuon and Awach rivers, which are notorious for causing flooding.
“Some people just left the camps three months ago to return to their homes and now they are preparing to go back and live in the same camps until at a time when the water levels recede,” he said.
Karachuonyo MP Adipo Okuome called on the relevant agencies to intervene.
“We need to find a permanent solution for floods in Rachuonyo North. I am in talks with different government bodies to tackle floods in the region,” he said.
