300 million sets to build houses of flood victims in Tana River

By Robert Mutasi 

President William Ruto has promised to build new houses for those displaced by this year's floods in Tana River county.

Ruto said that the government allocated Sh300 million to facilitate the construction of the new houses.

"Those whose houses were destroyed by the floods will get new houses. The government has allocated Sh300 million for this project," Ruto said.

Ruto was speaking in Ngao, Tana River County, on Monday, July 29, 2024, where he launched different projects.

The President also said that the government is committed to improving agriculture in Tana River by increasing the production level of corn, rice and vegetables.

"We want Tana River to continue to grow in the agricultural sector through the cultivation of maize, rice and vegetables in abundance," said President Ruto.

Thousands of residents of Mororo, Bakuyu and Ziwani in Tana River County were forced to evacuate their homes after  Tana River burst its banks in April.

Some residents had to seek refuge in a school in the neighboring town of Garissa.

According to Pius Mutuku, an epidemiologist at the Ministry of Health, 44 cases of cholera were reported in May 2024 in the county.

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), more than 69,000 people had been affected by floods in Tana River County as of May, 10,2024.

As of April 18, the United Nations reported at least 32 deaths, 15 people injured and two missing across the country.

Farmers in Tana River lost hundreds of acres of crops last year when floods occurred when they were about to harvest the crops.