Families marooned by floods as motorists spend hours on roads

Cars swept by floods pile across the road in Kimalat. [Peterson Githaiga, Standard]

Hundreds of Kenyans are marooned in their homes as rivers burst banks due to the heavy rains pounding the country.

From the Coast to Nyanza, several families have been rendered homeless by devastating floods, forcing county governments and churches to move in to assist victims.

In Kisumu county, River Nyando burst its banks following heavy rains in Nandi, Kericho and Nyamira counties.

More than 600 people are marooned in their homes, while business premises and health facilities have been damaged by floods.

The backflow from Lake Victoria has further worsened the situation.

Transport along the Kisumu-Nairobi highway was disrupted for several hours after floods rendered the Ahero bridge impassable.

Joseph Okello, a resident, said that they spent the night in the cold.

"I live in a rented house at Ahero market and we were all forced out after water levels rose," he said.

Caroline Ouma was woken up by neighbours' screams in the wee hours of the morning only to find her house marooned in water.

Kisumu Governor Anyang' Nyong'o said the flooding has damaged the Ahero bridge on the busy Kisumu-Nairobi-Kisii-Homa Bay and Migori highway, disrupting transportation.

In West Pokot, authorities have moved in to dispel fears over the rising water levels at Turkwel dam.

They sought to assure the residents that the dam was stable and safe and cautioned the public against crossing swollen rivers.

West Pokot sub-county deputy county commissioner Wycliffe Munanda and Kerio Valley Development Authority managing director Sammy Naporos inspected Turkwel dam and said its structural integrity remains intact, and the current water level is still low, allaying concerns over the risk of spilling.

"The water in the dam is not at an alarming rate with the current level at 1,135 metres above sea level, leaving 15 metres before the dam spills or overflows," said Naporos.

The KVDA boss emphasised the need for caution, especially for residents living in lowland areas that are prone to flooding, as several rivers, including Muruny, Weiwei, and Lomut, flow towards Lake Turkana, potentially causing flooding.

"No one should cross or drive across swollen rivers as this might cause loss of life and property," said Naporos.

In response to the heightened risk posed by strong waves, he suspended fishing activities in the 60-kilometer square Turkwel dam.

In Uasin Gishu County, long-distance drivers called on the government to act swiftly and repair damaged roads.

The drivers who ply the Nairobi-Nakuru-Eldoret highway ferrying goods to the Eastern African region said they encounter difficulties whenever transport is interrupted due to damage on sections of the highway.

Their calls followed the destruction of the road at Timboroa junction that caused a traffic snarl-up stretching several kilometres and holding transit goods for about two days.

The long-distance truck drivers and their turn-boys said the closure of the Nakuru-Eldoret road by Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA) had not only inconvenienced them but also exposed them to huge losses. 

The truck drivers led by David Mwangi, Edwin Kptoo and Maseneri Sifuna urged the government to urgently repair roads to minimise loss of time and huge expenses by the operators.

“We are not safe whenever we get stranded for hours. It is risky staying by the roadside in a bushy area with no shops. We incur huge expenses whenever there is a delay in rehabilitation of a destroyed section of the road, like at Timboroa," said Kiptoo.

[Sharon Owino Clinton, Irishsheel Shanzu, Peter Ochieng, Patrick Beja and George Sayagie]