Boats in the flooded Modogo area in Tana River County on May 10, 2024.
Before the rains, trouble was always looming. That much was clear. But the loss, as it is now, was never imagined.
Across the country, the aftermath of the deluge is enormous. The destruction, the destitution, and the desperation sums up the suffering occasioned by the floods.
From the Coast to the always arid and semi-arid areas, from western to eastern and the Rift Valley, the raging waters have resulted in deaths and insurmountable destructions.
Not even the capital city, Nairobi, where thousands have been adversely affected as well, is spared.
In one month, the country has lost 258 people to floods, almost the total number of people killed in all terrorism attacks that have occurred in the country, the Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki said.
Residents walk through water in Bosnia in Kahawa Wendani in Kiambu County, on May 01, 2024 after heavy rains that left the area flooded.
“Climate change that has resulted in the extreme weather “is now categorised as a national security threat alongside terrorism, banditry and livestock rustling, cultural and religious extremism and the manufacture, sale and abuse of illicit alcohol and narcotic drugs,” Prof Kindiki said in Marsabit on Friday.
Constructed shelters
So far, the government has relocated more than 181,000 people who had constructed shelters and were living near the Nairobi rivers corridor.
As of Wednesday, the government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura said, 257 people had died, 188 had been injured, “while 293,661 people have been affected and 54,837 households have been displaced”.
Additionally, 61 health facilities had been affected in 11 counties and crops on approximately 9,816 acres of land had been destroyed.
The true cost of the flooding crisis, however, remains, as the full assessment awaits the end of the rain season.
Flash flooding sent a deluge of muddy water over villages in Mai-Mahiu.
The result was death. Homes were swept and residents were told to evacuate as heavy rain continued to lash the area.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua while mourning with affected residents said the State has set aside Sh300 million to start building houses for the displaced families.
"We will assist the displaced families to rebuild their lives. It is a difficult situation and as the government, we must support them. I assure you that we will walk with you on this journey," said DP Gachagua.
The government in April said it had made several interventions such as financial allocation for immediate response to the rains’ havoc including allocation of Sh4 billion from the National Treasury for national disaster response.
According to President William Ruto, who said reconstruction of devastated infrastructure by the ongoing floods will commence soon, Murang'a County alone had reported a Sh440 million loss to the floods.
At the same time, more than 140 people in Nakuru’s Kaptembwa Estate spent the night in the cold on Thursday after landslides caused huge fissures, damaging their houses.
One of the affected houses in Kaptembwa, Nakuru County, on Wednesday after a gully formed and destroyed some houses, forcing residents to move to safer ground.
Tens of tenants narrowly escaped death after their houses caved in while inside, others partially collapsed. Some temporary structures such as kiosks and food joints were swept away.
Ms Lucy Wambui, one of the tenants, said they have been left homeless after the rains swept away their belongings.
She was having a siesta after lunch with her children, only to be woken up by screams from her neighbours. With no time to salvage her belongings, Ms Wambui said she picked her children and ran for safety.
Ms Priscilla Ambia, a resident in the area for the past 10 years, said she has never experienced such a disaster. She narrated that as a result of the raging waters, they lost valuable documents including birth certificates, Identity cards and school books.
Some of the displaced families in Kaptembwa, Nakuru County, next to their belongings after a gully formed near their home following heavy rains on Wednesday.
Hundreds of traders and farmers in the North Rift region are counting losses running into millions of shillings after businesses, livestock and food crops were either damaged or submerged by floods as heavy rains wreak havoc to infrastructure and vegetation.
Food crops
Several business premises have been buried by landslides while food crops and livestock swept by devastating floods in various parts of West Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet, Nandi and Mt Elgon with the Meteorological Department warning of continued downpour.
In West Pokot County more than 300 sheep were lost after landslide hit Chepkaram village in Tapach, Pokot South Sub-County damaging infrastructure several roads and submerging several of acres of land under food crop.
“The landslide also damaged infrastructure at Chepkalit Secondary School while some roads in parts of Turkana and West Pokot, have been swept off by floods disrupting transport operations,” said Oscar Okumu, Head of Kenya Red Cross Society, North Rift region.
He disclosed that several houses were damaged while unknown number of people sustained injuries after landslides hit Chesoi village in Elgeyo Marakwet County.
Divers from Bomet County Disaster Management unit struggling to retrieve bodies from a vehicle that plunged into Nyangores River on the Silibwet-Merigi highway in Bomet central constituency on May 9, 2024. Three people are confirmed dead in the accident and a child is missing.
In Kanduyi, Bungoma County, some people were trapped after a building under demolition collapsed.
In Turkana County, heavy rains and floods have destroyed canals and crops on more than 6500 acres. County Executive for Agriculture Dr Anthony Apalia said that the situation implies food shortages, income losses and reduced access to water for agricultural use.
He said that Loima and Turkana South Sub-Counties are the worst hit with a total of 2,910 and 2,027 acres respectively affected.
Some of the food crops especially vegetables have been submerged by floods in Kerio valley sparking fears of heavy losses to the farmers.
Kenya Red Cross officials evacuate families marooned by floods in Longewan village in Baringo South on May 4, 2024.
Iten-Kpasowar, Chesongoch-Chesegon, Chesoi-Kapyego and Chesongoch-Biretwo roads are some of those requiring urgent repair after they were damaged by the rains.
It is a similar situation in Nandi County where more 2,000 families in Nandi Escarpment face displacement as heavy rain wreak havoc to human lives and vegetation.
Some of the businesses in Tindiret and Meteitei areas have been damaged by the floods subjecting the traders to heavy losses.
Residents of the flooded Ilbolei village in Baringo South try to evacuate goats and sheep that were stranded after the Perkerra and Milo rivers burst their banks.
Most schools in Kirinyaga County are yet to be renovated, raising fears that they may not be reopened on Monday.
The learning institutions are in deplorable state and largely unfit for usage by the learners.
At Kimbimbi Primary School, latrines have been destroyed by floods and pupils have nothing to use.
“Reopening of schools should be postponed again until such time when the government will repair the buildings," one of the parents said.
The Kakamega County multi-sectoral committee on floods revealed that three people have been killed in various parts of the region.
They include a doctor who was swept away while attempting to cross a swollen river in Shinyalu, a toddler who was trailing the mother in Lugari and an artisanal gold miner who died in a collapsed gold mining shaft in Ikolomani.
Residents of Sigiri wade through flood waters in Budalangi on 7th May 2024. The floods were caused by an overflow from Lake Victoria due to ongoing heavy rains in the Nyanza region.
Isaac Wale/Nation
Kakamega County Commissioner Meru Mwangi revealed that the multi-sectoral committee has set up Sh260 million budget for the mitigation and adaptation efforts.
The counties most affected areas according to the officials are Ikoli, Khuvasali, Lukokho in Malava sub-county, Mukhalanya, Makaba, Chebusai, Muhono, Chenjeni and Lupere in Lugari, and Bumamu, Ebutai in Butere.
Floods and mudslides
Others are Ivonda in Ikolomani and Shibale, Ematiti, Musango, Butobe, Bungasi, Wang’nyang’ and Utende in Mumias West, Shilalyo and Mukumu areas in Shinyalu and all wards in Ikolomani Sub-County.
According to the Kakamega Deputy Governor Ayub Savula, more than 1,000 households, mainly around the county’s major rivers, have been affected by the floods and mudslides.
Some of the affected schools are Zion Academy and Misimo Primary School in Kabras South and Maungu Primary School in Lugari.
At the same time, a family in Bondo, Siaya County, is grieving the death of a toddler after their house collapsed on Thursday night. The two-year-old child was asleep when the incident occurred at midnight. His mother Lilian Aoko, 35, and three other siblings – escaped with injuries.
Siaya County Police boss Cleti Kimaiyo confirmed the incident, stating that water-clogged mud-walls of a semi-permanent rental house that the family was inhabiting collapsed on them.
Meanwhile, a frantic search for a sand harvester who drowned in Ligega area, Ugenya Sub-county has entered day three. Evans Otieno Odhiambo was swept away by the fast moving waters while trying to scoop sand at a river bank.
According to the area Assistant Chief Sylvester Ouma, the sand harvester was together with his other colleagues when he slipped and fell into the raging waters of River Nzoia.
In Nairobi, more than 300 households have been forced to move from their homes after the government demolished their houses in Mukuru-Kayaba, Starehe Sub-County.
At one time, there was commotion when dozens of youths overpowered the police who were present at a Juka Kali yard which is used as a paint mixing factory, a store for plastic products, scrap metals, electric cables, water tanks and cartons among other items.
Heavy rains
In Nyanza, the torrential rains continue to cause damage to infrastructure in different parts, destroying several critical facilities including electricity supply equipment.
Kenya Power South Nyanza Manager Dan Obiero said the state of the roads is making it difficult to access some parts to fix them.
Flooded homes in Kobala Village in Rachuonyo North Sub-county in Homa Bay County on May 8,2024.
Kisumu County is among some of those affected by the heavy rains, with flooding reported in Seme, Nyando, Muhoroni and Nyakach Sub-counties.
According to Kisumu Governor Anyan’nyong’o, the destruction of floods translates to about Sh87.8 million.
Prof Nyong’o said that over 2,000 livestock had also been swept downstream by the floods.
The Kisumu County Commissioner Benson Leparmorijo said that 16 schools in Nyando Sub-County are still submerged. Kibarwa, Nyamasao, Oseth, Ogenya, Nyamrundu and Odienya primary schools are among those that are most affected. Kandaria, Ombaka and Nduru Secondary schools are still marooned in water.
Reporting by Daniel Ogetta, Angeline Ochieng, George Kieru, George Munene, George Odiwuor, Barnabas Bii, Sammy Lutta, Kassim Adinasi, Shaban Makokha and Sammy Kimatu
