73 households displaced by floods in Makueni County

Makueni,

Thursday, November 16, 2023

KNA by Patrick Nyakundi

At least 73 households have been displaced by floods in Makueni County following heavy rains that were experienced in the area in the last two days.

50 households were displaced on Tuesday at Kawese in Kasekeu Ward, 12 households in Mitini Village Ilima Ward and 11 others at Syumile Village in Makindu Sub County.

“We have evacuated 50 households to St. Patrick’s Primary School in Kawese, Kasikeu Ward Mukaa Sub County who were displaced on Tuesday. Our County Emergency Response Team will be distributing food that has already been procured by the County Government of Makueni,” said Makueni County Red Cross Coordinator Mr. Evans Peter who spoke to KNA on Wednesday.

“The 11 households comprising 26 people, who were displaced last night at Syumile Village are being housed by neighbours. They are in need of essential supplies such as food, blankets and clothing to protect themselves from the harsh weather conditions,” said the coordinator.

“The 12 households in Mitini Village Ilima Ward have been displaced by mudslides resulting from last night’s rains. They have been evacuated to New Mitini Social Hall,” said Makueni County Acting County Commissioner Moses Gicharu.

Further Gicharu disclosed that the worst hit Sub Counties include Mbooni East, Kilungu, Nzaui and Mukaa respectively.

He also said that on Tuesday some roads in Mukaa and Nzaui roads were impassable as a result, the examination papers to some schools had to be airlifted by a helicopter.

“Heavy rains that are pounding Nzaui and Mukaa Sub Counties led to rivers being flooded and overflowing at bridges and paralysed transport. The Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) sent a helicopter to airlift examination papers to the various centres that were affected,” added the county commissioner.

On Tuesday the busy Mombasa-Nairobi highway, transport was paralysed for one hour after Kawese River at Sultan Hamud was flooded causing huge traffic jam from both sides of the road.

Gicharu discouraged the local residents from crossing flooded rivers so as to avert loss of lives.

Four livestock were also swept away by the raging waters of river Kawese in Kawese Location on Tuesday. So far, the County Emergency Response Team has recorded 8 deaths in the County during this rainy season.

On the ongoing Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education, Gicharu said the examinations are going on well adding that no malpractice has been reported.

Courtesy; KNA