29 More People Have Died In Floods Raising Number To 285

The number of people that have died from floods in Kenya has grown from 256 to 285 after 29 more have died following mudslides since the last briefing according to Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa.

Addressing the media, Devolution CS Eugene Wamalwa has said that since the long rains began in April, a total of 285 people have died as a consequence.

CS Wamalwa has also said that from the previous 161,000 people that had been affected by floods in one way or the other for example being displaced, the number has increased to 810, 655.

The floods that have resulted in floods in most areas of the country with 33 counties being affected have also destroyed large areas of crops and caused death to animals with the situation expected to stabilize soon as the season nears an end.

CS Wamalwa has urged Kenyans to begin taking weather alerts seriously as a way of saving lives as the majority ignore calls to move to higher grounds whenever heavy rains are predicted by the Meteorological department.

“Going forward we must as a country strive to improve on our response to weather alerts. We must take weather alerts seriously,” CS Wamalwa has said adding that the areas where the most losses of lives have been lost, the residents have continually been warned to move to higher ground to no avail.

“It is sad that in affected areas in West Pokot and Elgeyo Marakwet, our experts issued warning alerts in good time but residents did not respond,” CS Wamalwa said adding that the government was working with the Kenya Red Cross to settle 225 families.

“Already, we have seen the volume of dams stabilize and we hope the situation will soon stabilize,” CS Wamalwa said.

Counties that have been affected by floods include Garissa, Mandera, Tana River, Elgeyo Marakwet and West Pokot.

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