246 families in camps after floods sweep away entire village in Garissa
By Mary Wambui |
While an estimated 400,000 people across the country have been affected by the floods, in Garissa County, an estimated 6,400 households (32,000 people) are living in 12 camps for the internally displaced.
A total of 246 families from Mansabubu village in Bura East Sub-county, Garissa, are living in makeshift camps on higher grounds, surviving by donations from humanitarian organisations.
According to the Kenya Red Cross, the families were displaced after River Tana broke its banks, submerging the entire village.
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"The Kenya Red Cross Garissa branch, together with the office of the Fafi Member of Parliament, United Nations International Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) distributed foodstuffs, shelter materials and other essential items such as blankets, sleeping mats, jerry cans, soap, kitchen sets and water treatment chemicals, amongst other items," the organisation said on Saturday.
While an estimated 400,000 people across the country have been affected by the floods, in Garissa County, an estimated 6,400 households (32,000 people) are living in 12 camps for the internally displaced.
"As UNICEF, one of the ways we have been able to reach the households is through cash transfers in partnership with NDMA and the World Vision, reaching 600 most affected households to whom we have been able to disburse sh10,000 via M-Pesa," UNICEF Kenya Social Policy Officer Helen Jepkorir says.
The cash transfer programme is supported by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, UNICEF, Kenya. NDMA and the Garissa County government.
Amram Shabel, one of the victims, said she lost not only her child but also her home, livestock, and crops.
"My daughter was travelling at night from Nairobi, returning from school, when she got caught up by the floods, drowned, and died," she said.
The impact of the heavy rains that have pounded the country since March is still being felt, with some regions still recording deaths due to landslides. The national death toll thus far is 291, the government said in its last briefing, adding that 75 people were missing and that 188 were injured.
The rains, as predicted by the Kenya Meteorological Department, have reduced in recent days, with the forecast for May 14–20 showing that the highlands east of the Rift Valley would experience cloudy mornings followed by sunny intervals, with occasional afternoon and night showers expected over a few places.
These parts are Nyandarua, Laikipia, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Murang'a, Kiambu, Meru, Embu, Tharaka-Nithi, and Nairobi counties.
This signals a reduced inflow into the Tana Delta, which led to flooding in Garissa, Tana River, and Lamu counties following an overflow of the Seven Folks Dams courtesy of the heavy rains in the central region.
According to the department, sunny intervals are also expected during the day, while nights are likely to be cloudy in Garissa, Marsabit, Mandera, Wajir and Isiolo counties.
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