A group of youth help stranded travelers to cross the Dukanotu road along the Mombasa-Garissa Highway after it was swept off by raging flood waters. [Abdmalik Hajir, Standard]

Mandera North MP Bashir Sheikh challenged top State officials to tour the region and assess the severity of the situation.

Mandera West MP Bura Adow put contractors from the Kenya National Highway Authority on notice claiming that their shoddy works had led to the collapse of a critical bridge which has now rendered the region inaccessible.

In Makueni, four people among them the brother of Kilome MP Thadeus Nzambia, were the latest victims of the floods.

Mwina Nzambia, a teacher at Muuwa Primary in Kilome was found dead yesterday some kilometres away down River Muuwa.

In the second tragedy, a former secondary school principal, who also served as a local church preacher, lost his life along with a mechanic when their vehicle was swept away while crossing river Ivoeesyo at Kalamba in Nzaui, Makueni County.

In the neighbouring Kilungu sub-county, a 16-year-old girl lost her life when a house she was in was hit by land sides. The fourth person died in Iani dam within Ngakaa, Makindu. So far about 20 people are reported to have died in flood-related incidents in Makueni county.

Elsewhere, several travellers were left stranded after sections of the Garissa-Nairobi highway were washed away.

Swept away

Reports indicated the worst affected section of the key highway is Dukanotu in Tana River County. Other sections swept away are Tula and Madogo.

Meanwhile, Karimenu II dam in Gatundu North, Kiambu County, has broken its banks sparking fear of flooding downstream.

Athi Water Works acting Chief Executive Officer Joseph Kamau has assured locals that adequate measures have been put in place to mitigate against water overflow and flooding.

[Reports by Patrick Beja, Hassan Barisa, Marion Kithi, Josphat Thiong'o, Stephen Nzioka, Abdimalik Hajir and Gitau Wanyoike]