May 10, 2018//-The death toll following Wednesday night’s flooding of villages in the Subukia areas of Nakuru has risen to 32, Capitalfm.co.ke has reported.
The toll, the highest in a single flood-related incident now brings to 162 the number of people who have died countrywide as a result of floods since heavy rains started in March.
The Wednesday night incident occurred at around 9pm when Patel Dam broke its banks sweeping villages in the Solai area of Subukia.
Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) reported that 39 people had been rescued in a joint operation with the county government and were admitted at Bahati sub-county and Nakuru County Referral Hospital.
Governor Lee Kinyanjui said Nakuru County was working closely with KRCS as well as the security agencies to coordinate rescue missions.
Among villages affected are those in the farmlands of Nyakinyua, Endao and Arutani where hundreds of people were displaced.
Also affected were Solai Boys High School and Arutani Girls Secondary School.
Statistics released by the Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho on Wednesday indicated that 222,456 people have so far been displaced as a result of ongoing rains in flood-prone areas.
According to Kibicho, the government had so far distributed food and medicine worth Sh600 million in 32 affected counties.
“The government will continue carrying out various mitigation activities across the floods affected parts (sic) of the country to rescue marooned citizens, distribute food, medicine and water, and restore water and sanitation systems to ensure hygienic conditions,” Kibicho said in a statement.
According to KRCS, the counties of Turkana, Tana River, Garissa, Isiolo, Taita Taveta, Mandera, Wajir, Marsabit, West Pokot, Samburu and Narok are the most his by the latest spate of floods.
Since March when heavy rains started pouring at least 8,450 acres of farmland have been submerged in water with an estimated 6,000 livestock killed.
The floods have also destroyed road networks in some parts of the country.
Security services have deployed choppers in areas where roads have been rendered impassible to rescue marooned civilian populations.
Agency Report
