6 Death-Trap Dams That Are Full and At The Risk Of Bursting Open

Dams are known to be a source of life as water is said to be life but with the current heavy rains and floods, Kenyan dams have become a ticking bomb that could burst anytime and deaths to tens if not hundreds of people.

Murang’a County which is known for being the main supplier of water for Kenya’s Capital City is now threatened with dams that are almost overflowing and at the risk of bursting open as their capacity is overstretched.

Murang’a County’s Disaster Management Committee has revealed that six of the dams assessed during a fact-finding mission are at the verge of spilling over which will be putting lives of residents downstream at risk.

The risk of dams bursting due to overfill has been previously witnessed in the Patel Dam that caused tens of deaths and destruction of property and most recently Uhuru dam that flooded the Varsityville estate in Ruiru destroying property.

READ: Government To Release Ksh 200 Billion To Deal With Floods

The Murang’a County’s Disaster Management Committee led by Governor Mwangi wa Iria said the six privately-owned dams in  Gatanga Sub County were full and if the rains continued then they were likely to break their banks cause a disaster downstream.

The dams are mostly owned by flower farmers who are now urgently being urged to create spillage to enable the dams to take in surplus rainwater to avoid a likely disaster.

“From the information given by the meteorological department, the rains are expected to continue for almost for a full month and precautions should be put in place to avoid disasters and loss of lives,” Murang’a Governor Mwangi Wa Iria said.

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Murang’a County has received over 1,500 millimeters of rain since the rains began which is an amount triple what the county has been receiving.

“Some of the dams are at potential risk to spill over and we are advising our people in lower parts of the county who live near river Thika and Chania to move to safer areas,” Governor Wa Iria said.

Ndakaini Dam which is key in its supply of Nairobi water and is located at the upper part of Gatanga sub-county is almost full despite continued water rationing in Nairobi and will soon over if not averted.

“Within three or four days Ndakaini dam will be full and excess water will flow to river Chania where the spillage is directed and that means more danger to people living downstream,” Mwangi said adding that all dams in the county including the ones constructed during colonial era would be inspected to ensure they pose no danger.

List Of Dams Full Posing Danger In The Occasion That The Rains Continue

1. Ndakaini dam
2. Masinga Dam
3. Kamburu,
4. Kiambere,
5. Gitaru
6. Kindaruma dams