Kihingo village chief Samuel Wame has lauded area residents after they helped retrieve the body of a 14-year-old boy who drowned in River Njoro on Thursday.
Speaking at the scene after divers spend about three hours searching for the body, Wame said he was happy with the level of unity shown by the villagers during the calamity.
He added that their actions proved that they were concerned about each other’s well-being.
"If it were not for your sacrifice and selflessness, this innocent soul could not have been traced. I commend all of you for that," he said.
He further tagged the river as a no go zone for children saying with the increasing rainfall, that was the best way of avoiding a recurrence of such a misfortune.
"Let us not allow our children to swim or play near the river as precautionary measures," the chief noted.
Area MP Joseph Kiuna regretted the death, but called on his constituents to treat the El Nino threat as real.
"Let the people be warned that El Nino is there and such accidents ought to be treated seriously to avoid a repeat of the same. I really sympathize with the bereaved family," he said when contacted on the phone.
The body of the deceased was taken to Njoro sub-county Hospital mortuary.