Garissa residents appeal for government help as floods continue to wreak havoc

Garissa residents appeal for government help as floods continue to wreak havoc

River Tana which forms the border between Garissa and Tana River counties has displaced hundreds of families living near the water body.

Residents from Garissa are still reeling from the devastating effects of the recent floods after the swollen River Tana burst its banks.

The locals are now appealing for help from the government as the floods which have now left them homeless, continue to wreak havoc.

The families are also counting losses after they lost their livestock as a result of the floods.

River Tana which forms the border between Garissa and Tana River counties has displaced hundreds of families living near the water body.

"We are appealing for help from the government as well as the Red Cross. Our farms have been destroyed, and all our goats are gone. Even our chickens have all died from the raging waters. We have no food. Our kids are suffering from the rains," Hamisi Sadiki, a local from the area said.

"We have nowhere to sleep. All our livestock are dead and we are dying from the floods. We are urging the government to quickly come to our rescue because we are really suffering. We even had some mothers giving birth and have nowhere to safely hide their babies and they have nothing to eat and have nothing left," another resident lamented.

Residential houses and business premises at Soko Mugdi and Posta road in Garissa town affected by the heavy rains on 12 November 2023. (Photo: Courtesy)

In Garissa, the most affected areas include Bula Sheikh and Windsor villages and there are fears that the water levels along the Tana River will rise leading to further suffering by locals.

Other affected areas include Maroro, Bakuyu ,Ziwani, Sala of Bangale Sub County in Tana East and Hola sub counties.

The residents of Garissa and Tana River counties have expressed more worries after Kengen on Sunday released the Kindaruma dam waters that was filled beyond its capacity due to the rains.

The residents have previously experienced wanton destruction of their farms after the release of the water dams.

According to the Kenya Red Cross, by last week, 26,011 families in parts of the North Eastern region (Wajir, Garissa and Mandera) have been affected and are grappling with the harsh impact of floods, leaving another 13,473 displaced.

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