Athi River deputy county commissioner Kodeck Makori has condemned residents who have refused to move from danger zones despite ongoing heavy rains.
Addressing the press at his office in Athi River town on Wednesday, Makori said some of the residents living in flood prone areas had not moved despite several calls by several leaders from both national and Machakos County government.
"Anybody who is waiting along river banks to be saved from floods will be arrested immediately after his or her evacuation to safety," warned Makori.
"We will take you to court if we evict you from where you are trapped with water and charge you with attempt to commit suicide," said Makori.
Makori said those living in flood prone areas should move to safer zones before asking for rescue and support from the governments and charitable organisations.
"You cannot fight nature, it will continue raining for a while and if it does, we will keep experiencing its effects as we already are," he said.
He issued the warning barely a week after the Machakos governor Alfred Mutua reportedly hired a chopper to rescue a man who had been marooned by flood waters in Mwala sub county on Monday.
Makori said there was a similar situation at Kasuitu village in Athi River in the year 2006, after River Athi broke its banks following heavy rains prompting the government to deploy a chopper to rescue those trapped by floods.