Tragic Outcome: Bodies of KRA Officials Lost to Kwale Floods Found
Two bodies of Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) personnel and a boda boda rider, both of whom were missing since Friday when their vehicle was swept away by raging floods, have been located. Coast leaders have declared the situation a humanitarian crisis.
The Coast has been besieged by torrential downpours for the past week, resulting in extensive property damage, fatalities, and the displacement of hundreds of families.
During a search on Sunday morning, a multi-agency team commanded by the Kenya Coast Guard Service discovered the remains of three individuals, including the 23-year-old boda boda rider who drowned at the same location, according to Kwale County Commissioner Michael Meru.
Principal Secretary of Interior Security Raymond Omollo previously stated that a manager of the Lunga Lunga One Stop Border Point and his chauffeur were among the victims.
“We have established from the Lunga Lunga One Stop Border Post that the occupants of the Land Cruiser were Joram Maina, the chairman of the Lunga Lunga Border Management Committee, and David Ng’ang’a,” said Mr Omollo.
On Friday night, while traveling from Lunga Lunga to Kwale via the Likoni-Lunga Lunga highway, the floodwaters carried away the two vehicles. The rescue team successfully located and recovered their Land Cruiser on Saturday.
“On behalf of the Border Control and Coordination Committee and as its chairman, our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends at this difficult time,” he added.
Governor Fatuma Achani of Kwale County has declared a humanitarian crisis and issued a call for food and financial donations from well-wishers.
Nicky Gitonga, a spokesman for the county government, told Politicalpulsechat that information from all county administrations indicated that seven people had perished and hundreds of homes had been devastated in the coastal county due to the persistent rainfall.
“I could only save one thing when the floods came, either my property or my children, I chose my children and watched as everything else went down with the water, including my house,” said Halima Barisa, a victim.
Watta Hamesa, the village of Ms. Halima, is still submerged; the earthen dwellings have all collapsed, leaving behind only sticks and the frameworks of what was once a dwelling.
Since two weeks ago, she and her four children have sought sanctuary at a friend’s residence, where they have endured the biting cold and mosquitoes.
“I sleep on a mat while my children sleep on an animal hide on the floor, we don’t have mosquito nets, if we get a mosquito net for the night we will sleep well, if we don’t the mosquitoes will have a good night,” she said.
Malaria has been identified in two of her children, while pneumonia has been diagnosed in the third.
Her current greatest obstacle is locating medication for them, as the rain has disrupted all of her sources of income.
“They need drugs and another one needs injections and it all costs money, I have to balance between feeding them and treating them, it hasn’t been easy for me,” she said.
The representative of the Child Welfare Society of Kenya, Jane Mwangi, asserts that the state of affairs in Tana River is critical and that further assistance is required than what is presently being provided.
“We are supporting 2000 families out of 11,000 affected families, a number we are told will grow as the situation is about to worsen, which tells you that more needs to be done urgently,” said Ms Mwangi.
Mattresses for breastfeeding mothers and children, blankets, food, and motivational literature for young children are being distributed by the organization.
As per Ms. Mwangi, the purpose of the motivational literature is to divert the children’s attention away from the situation, thereby preventing the onset of depression.
Nevertheless, she bemoans the fact that the majority of the district’s impacted regions may be unable to access the aid due to their lack of road access.
Local authorities have persistently urged additional humanitarian organizations to provide water treatment reagents and netting to avert disease. At this time, the floods have caused the abandonment of over seven villages, and an increasing number of individuals are relocating to makeshift settlements.
Governor Abdulswamad Nassir has spearheaded the county government’s endeavors to assist individuals impacted by the El Niño rainfall in Mombasa.
Recently, several regions within the county have been struck by some of the most severe inundation. Kisauni (Bombolulu and portions of Utange), Jomvu (primarily Mikindani), and Nyali (Frere Town, Ziwa la Ngombe, and Kadzandani) are the regions most severely impacted.
Since Wednesday, Mombasa has been pummelling by persistent heavy rainfall, which has resulted in extensive inundation throughout the county. Three fatalities have been verified and 3,800 families have been temporarily displaced as a result of the flooding, according to the county government.
“These floods are caused by the El Niño weather pattern and exacerbated by various ongoing major road works that have raised the level of the roads, causing water to flow into homes. We urge KENHA to work expeditiously to resolve these issues so that normalcy can return to Mombasa residents,” said the Governor.
The county government is in the process of establishing an Emergency Call Centre, which will function as a control center to facilitate the coordination of the county’s response to various types of emergencies—including but not limited to fires, medical emergencies, and evacuations.
The county administration has thus far provided adequately for 3,800 families.
Tragic Outcome: Bodies of KRA Officials Lost to Kwale Floods Found