More than 250 families have been displaced by the raging floods in Magarini Kilifi County after River Sabaki broke its banks following the ongoing heavy rains that continue to cause havoc.
Already three children have so far lost their lives after they were swept away by flash floods in Kisiki Cha Mzungu area in Magarini constituency Kilifi County.
Reports from the Kenya Red Cross indicate that in Bate alone there are 103 households that have been affected followed by Kolobani with 50 households , Kaya Dagamura with 35 houeholds ,while Mikuyuni and Kisiki cha Mzungu area has 38 and 24 houses affected respectively Bate area cannot be accessed both from Karimboni and Dagamura leaving the families residing within the area completely stranded.
At Kolobani area which is one of the access route the road is completely impassible and the culvert which was built to prevent the flooding is almost broken down due to the high pressure of water.Children in Mgumoni, Bate and Dhololo primary schools are not able to go to school as the learning institutions are surrounded by water.In Bate over 1500 acres of land that was washed away by the floods.
Kazungu Baya Thoya a resident of Mwangatini and a milk supplier was forced to cut off his trip to Bate to collect the product after his only access route was cut off by the floods.
Speaking at Kolobani Thoya said he could not risk crossing the area with his motorcycle as it was dangerous.
“The water levels are high, everyone is affected transport is now paralyzed, we urged the government to upgrade the road and improve the culvert to prevent such disasters in future,’’ he said.
Thoya said the floods hit the area five days ago but each day the water levels were rising leaving locals to suffer.Katana Charo another resident said children and elderly people were most affected due to the disaster.
He said currently there were fear of disease outbreak and shortage of food as most of the farms had been swept away.“We have a serious problem of water there is no clean water at all,’’ he said.
Bate Assistant chief Mbaru Kalama said Dhololo area and Dagamura Garashi ward were the ones highly affected.
“The situation was worse three days ago four houses were destroyed farms were swept away,’’ he said in a telephone interview.
Those affected he said had been advised to go to relatives living on higher grounds.
“Over 100 households have been displaced in my area, I am currently going round informing victims to move to higher grounds,’’ he said.
The assistant chief said this time they do not want people to go to camp in schools to avoid disrupting learning.
James Mwaringa Ngoa a resident of Myeye area in Dagamura said he fled from his home with his family four days ago after his home was swept away by the floods.He said all his crops had been swept away and had nothing to eat and nowhere to stay since he does not have land on higher grounds.
Shadrack Kazungu Unda assistant chief of Mikuyuni in Garashi location said the disaster is worse this year.“There is a seasonal river which has come up after over 30 years,’’ he said.
So far he said there are two camps which have been established to harbor those affected.Villages surrounded in his area include Vugulani and Mporojoni Nuru Mikuyuni ,Vugulani and Kadzitsoni