Man drowns as 8,000 marooned by floods

One man drowned in Laikipia and more than 8,000 people were marooned in Tana River County as floods wreacked havoc in parts of the country.

More than 1,500 houses were submerged at Hirimani area in Tana River County.

The Red Cross Coast regional disaster management officer, Mr Michael Ayabi, said the situation was grave adding that they had begun taking supplies there.

And more than 200 head of cattle were rescued out of River Tana yesterday after being swept away by raging floods.

The Rural and Border Control Unit of the Administration Police recovered the animals at Ozi where they had erected barriers.

The unit leader, assistant commissioner of police Patrick Mwaniki, said the cattle were crossing the swollen river when they were swept away.

“We placed residents at Ozi where they erected barriers across the river before it enters the Indian Ocean. We then fished them out,” he said on phone on Saturday.

On the other hand, Mr Ayabi said the Red Cross had dispatched a chopper to supply water, medicine and other basic supplies and also rescue the marooned families.

“The people spent the third day in flood waters. We have mobilised personnel and resources with the Provincial Administration and the local disaster management team at Hola to see what we can do to rescue the people,” said Mr Ayabi.

He said at least 1,500 houses had been marooned by the floods after the River Tana burst its banks at several points in the area.

“Between 7,000 and 8,000 people are affected by the floods which are a result of heavy rains,” he said.

And the Tana River county commissioner, Mr Joseph Rotich, said the situation was worsened by the cutting off of the Bura-Garisa road at Bilbil.

“The road was cut off twice around Bilbil where a bridge was swept away. There was some relief food being brought by the ministry of Special Programmes but it is stuck now. They can’t bring it,” he said.

Mr Rotich urged all residents living along the banks of the River Tana to move to higher grounds immediately to avoid a catastrophe.

He chaired an emergency security meeting at Hola yesterday to deliberate on how to rescue the stranded 8,000-plus residents.

The most affected villages are Chardende, Hirimani and Madogo.

Other areas between Garisa and Bura are also under water, according to Tana North district commissioner Reuben Loyotoman who was also at Saturday’s emergency meeting.

By noon Saturday, the River Tana water had spread to several villages in Tana Delta District further south.

The area DC, Mr David Kiprop, said five villages had started experiencing flooding. They included Mnazini, Sera, Maziwa, Kulesa and Badaani.

“The vilages of Shirikisho and Kibusu which are on the river banks are also under severe threat. I am calling on district officers, chiefs and other civil servants to start evacuating the people to higher and safer ground,” said Mr Kiprop.

He said 425 households with more than 2,500 people were directly affected by the floods.

In Laikipia, the middle-aged aged man drowned after falling into a swollen river in Laikipia County.

Mr Joseph Mwangi was swept away by floods at Damu Samaki village in Sosian location on Thursday night and his body was later found in river Wamucheru.

A neighbour, Mr Benson Kamaara, said Mr Mwangi was returning home from Suryey trading centre when he fell and drowned in the river.

On Friday morning, pupils going to school found the body trapped by some bushes on the banks of the river and informed the villagers.

Laikipia West deputy police boss Patrick Makhoha dispatched officers to the area to retrieve the body.