Nakuru residents living in El Nino prone areas have been urged to move to safer grounds so as to help avert possible dangers.
Roads and planning County Executive Commitee Member Mr Joel Maina on Tuesday warned that everybody had to take the initiative to ensure they are safe.
In a media briefing in his offices at the county headquarters, Maina reiterated that the county was committed to ensuring the safety of everybody during the El Nino season. He said the county having set aside Sh500m for El Nino mitigation was proof enough that all was well.
He further cautioned people living in slums, low lands, near rivers, lakes and dams and those near landslide prone areas to take the weatherman’s caution seriously lest they are caught off guard.
“The problem of we Kenyans is that we never take precautionary measures seriously until the last minute then we start calling on the government to intervene,” he said.
He noted that rescue centres had been identified to help in offering available alternatives in case of an overstretch on the available resources put in place.
The rains, which are expected from October 10 are said to be the heaviest in the recent years.
“Climatic changes are unpredictable with nobody being sure of what to expect. But weather forecasts are there to help us prepare before any unexpected climate change,” the CeC explained.
He noted that the precautionary measures are necessary because life is more important and it was their responsibility to protect the residents’ life at any given time.
This comes in the wake of revelations that a section of right groups on Tuesday threatened to demonstrate if the county government does not account for the Sh500m recently set aside for El Nino mitigation arguing that no tangible action had been witnessed as the onset of the rains draws near.