Taita Taveta: 6th April; 2012 Excessive rain in Taita Taveta County, Coast Province, caused flash floods that rendered many people homeless as their houses were submerged by water. Crops and livestock were also washed away and infrastructure such as roads bridges and schools damaged. The Kenya Red Cross Society carried out a comprehensive rapid assessment of the situation jointly with the area District Officer, Chiefs and Public Health Officers to determine the immediate needs of the affected populations. The assessment indicated that the most affected population was in need of immediate food, NFIs, shelter, water and sanitation and livelihoods.
KRCS distributed blankets, collapsible jerry cans, tarpaulins, mosquito bed nets, kitchen sets and aqua tabs to purify water to the affected families. Areas affected most were Bomeni division where all the villages thus Marekeke, Merodo, Majengo, Masingitini and Forodani were affected and are at least 100 households (HH) marooned with 55 Houses swept away. In Kimuringo division, affected included Kimonjo A & B and Ngutuni with 198 HH affected. Jipe division’s Rekeke and Kimala villages had 473 HH affected; with farms crop washed away.
Tana River: 14th April; 2012 In Tana River, heavy rains on the night of 13th April 2012 in Oda 1, Village Kamagur location, Bangale division in Tana River left a 9 year old boy dead and some 15 HH marooned. At least 600 herds of cattle were washed away as a result of the same floods.
Mlolongo: 17th April; 2012 In Mlolongo, on the night of April 17 2012, heavy rains accompanied with storms blew off rooftops of houses while breaking huge trees. Power line polls fell down as the rains left behind a path of destruction; several houses were also swept away and others submerged. The KRCS Machakos and Nairobi branches responded to the incident that affected 172 HH. The areas were mainly from Syokimau, Beijing Road, Phase Three and areas near Mlolongo Police Station. KRCS distributed Non-food items (NFIs) to the affected families.
Maragua: 18th April; 2012 Heavy storms were reported in Maragua on 18th April 2012. Preliminary reports indicate that 18 HH were destroyed in Maragua and its environs. KRCS Maragua Branch responded to the incident in Kangangu Sub-location, Gikono village. The impact of the storms included destruction of houses, classrooms and household items.
Homabay: 19th April; 2012 Heavy rains in Nyangweso and Oluch Kimira in Homabay on the night of April 19; 2012 left more than 200 HH affected in Oluch Kimira and over 220 other HH affected in Nyangweso. On the same night, heavy rain in Gwassi East and Central locations led to flooding that washed 7 people including 5 children, thus affecting 8HH. Livestock and farms were also swept away by the floodwaters.
The KRCS has been working with the Provincial Administration on recovery efforts and so far, four bodies have been recovered. Efforts to recover the other three bodies are ongoing and both food and NFIs have been distributed to the affected families with the Ministry of special Programmes arranging for machinery that is currently being used to fasten the rescue efforts.
Loiyangalani: 20th April; 2012 Loiyangalani area received heavy rains on 19th April 2012, leading to flash floods that washed away at least 80 goats and left some 7 houses destroyed in Lordabash village, 8km from loiyangalani town.
Athi River: 21st April; 2012 Floods in Jam city village in Mavoko location, Athi River District, left houses submerged and roof blown off after heavy rains pounded the area during the night. KRCS KRCS responded and gave NFIs to the affected families.
Hell’s Gate, Naivasha: 22nd April; 2012 Kenya Red Cross Society Disaster Response teams jointly with Kenya Wildlife Services officials have retrieved 6 bodies of the seven church members who were swept away by flash floods in a gorge in Hells Gate National Park in Naivasha. One body was recovered yesterday bringing the total to 7 bodies. Search and rescue was called off last evening due to darkness and the high levels of the water that dampened the recovery efforts.
Kenya Red Cross Society and KWS officials are organizing to charter a chopper to airlift the bodies from the deep gorge. 40 youth members of PCEA Mukara church in Dagoretti Nairobi, who had visited the renowned park, escaped narrowly when the incident occurred. Kenya Red Cross Society Naivasha Branch has set up a tracing and psychosocial support desk at Hells Gate.
In general, KRCS continues to respond to flooding situation in the country and our assessments have indicated that at least 17 (Tana River 1, Mlolongo 2, Suba/Gwassi 7 and Hells Gate 7),people have lost their lives and some 1000 HH thus over 58,000 people have been affected by the flash floods that are affecting the country as a result of heavy rains.
The Kenya Red Cross Disaster Response teams are on standby countrywide to respond and to provide assistance to those likely to be affected. The Society has activated its flood watch system and prepositioned its NFIs stock as part of early action and preparedness for early recovery and less impact. For more information, follow us on our website, facebook page, tweeter and Flickr.