Two men were on Saturday rescued from their house at Kasuitu Slum in Athi River town where they had been trapped for more than twelve hours due to flash floods.
Richard Musyoki (21) and Joshua Kimathi (18) had spent the night in their mabati structured house which was submerged by water before they were rescued on Saturday morning.
Speaking at the scene during the rescue mission, Athi River assistant county commissioner David Tegutwa said the two were workers at a farm within the slum and were sleeping in the house constructed to them by their employer when River Athi broke its banks on Friday night thereby diverting its course and creating an island to the victims’ house after over flooding.
Tegutwa said the victims were noted by women who were harvesting vegetables on higher sides of the slum after they raised alarms for help on that fateful morning.
He said the women alerted area members of the community policing who in turn called him prompting his response to the scene accompanied by officers from Mavoko sub-county fire brigade department who effected the rescues assisted by local volunteer divers.
“The rescued men are very lucky because they were noted early enough before the situation worsened, I was alerted on phone by members of the public very early this morning and I managed to equally mobilize rescue team to the scene in time making the rescue mission a success,” said Tegutwa.
Tegutwa said the victims had defied orders from various authorities to vacate the area and move to higher grounds for their safety during the ongoing rains.
He said both the national and Machakos governments had issued warnings to those living in danger zones along Rivers Athi and Mto Wa Mawe to vacate their homes and move to safer zones during the ongoing heavy rains but the two ignored the call, he said they could be charged with attempting to commit suicide.
Tegutwa said rivers Athi and Mto Wa Mawe had over flown following storm waters from heavy rains being experienced in Ngong’ areas in Kajiado and Nairobi Counties.
He said Kwa Mang’eli, Jam City Kasuitu and Kaanani Slums all in Athi River town alongside Kasuitu and Mto Wa Mawe bridges were also flooded owing to overflowing of the rivers.
A spot check by this writer, noted that a bridge on Namanga Road located in Athi River town connecting the road and Mombasa Road had also overflown.
Tegutwa cautioned those defying directives to move from the danger zones to safer grounds that legal actions will be taken against them.