Floods leave trail of deaths, destruction in Narok

In Narok, the heavy downpour being witnesses in the area has left a boda boda operator dead and a newly-constructed bridge swept away as well as some tourist facilities being submerged in the world-famous Masai Mara Game Reserve.

The motorcyclist was killed by raging flash floods in Narok town as he was trying to cross the swelling waterway Tuesday night.

According to area OCPD Joseph Kisombe, the motorcyclist identified as Titus Kitikot, 28, was rushing to pick a customer when the incident happened at Nkoitoi area in the upper part of Narok town.

“It was reported that at around 9pm, Tuesday, a 28-year old man was crossing a culvert within Nkoitoi area on the way to Lenana Estate slid and was swept away by bthe raging waters,” the OCPD told The Standard.

He said the locals who were nearby reacted swiftly and rescued him and rushed him to Narok County Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.

Mr Kisombe said the body of the deceased has since been moved to the facility’s mortuary awaiting postmortem examination.

The police boss has however cautioned the town dwellers against risking their lives crossing the waterways in the flood-prone town during rainy season.

“I want to appeal to the locals to be very careful while crossing the raging floods. They should always wait for the water to subside before crossing to avert such losses of lives from occurring,” said Kisombe.

At the same time, the flash floods destroyed the ongoing multi-million storm drainage system being constructed to mitigate flash floods in Narok town.

The bridge which recently acquired a new contractor was left in ruins after the flood waters swept the bridge that was in its middle stages.

 Recently, area Governor Samuel Tunai blamed corruption in the defunct county council for the encroachment of the water ways in Narok town leading to the deadly perennial flash floods.

Governor Tunai who spoke at the County headquarters when he inspected the multi-million bridge which is under expansion to curb the flash floods said some corrupt individuals sold the parcels along the water way to unsuspecting buyers.

“We are going to stop at nothing in ensuring that business people and residents of this town are free from flash floods.We know some people bought land,build along the water ways but we shall bring them down,” said the governor.

 In the April 2015 flash floods, 11 people were swept away and property worth millions of shillings destroyed by the raging waters.

In the Masai Mara,about six tented camps have been marooned by the flood waters thus affecting tourism in the area.

According to Mara-Serengeti Ecosystem Coordinator Nicholas Murero,the floods have affected business at the camps but attributed the incidences to environmental degradation in the Mau forest.

“Some hotels in the Mara have been affected by the floods following the recent rains.This is a justification of the continued destruction of forests such as Mau,Nyakweri which has left the ground bare and vulnerable to floods,”said Murero.