As floods continue to cause havoc owing to heavy rains across the country, Trans Nzoia residents have been put on high alert.
The alarm bells have been sounded by Red Cross as leaders across the political divide pushed the government to declare the terrifying floods a national disaster.
This comes as River Sabwani in Kwanza Sub County starts to show signs of imminent overflow.
In the past, whenever the river stretches beyond its limit, residents of Namanjalala area were usually left counting losses, and even some were displaced.
Speaking to KNA, Trans Nzoia County Red Cross Coordinator Ruth Miningwo urged residents living in flood-prone areas to relocate to higher ground with immediate effect before the situation gets out of hand.
Saying that no deaths had so far been reported in the area, Miningwo advised the public to take precautionary measures before it was too late.
As she advised people to move to higher grounds, the coordinator singled out the slopes of Mt. Elgon and Cherangany Hills as places to be avoided, saying that the two are prone to landslides.
Meanwhile, the coordinator called for a multi-sectoral approach to properly deal with the effects of the ongoing heavy rains, which are not showing signs of subsiding.
“For the country to properly deal with the effects of the heavy rains, a close working relationship between government agencies and the public is essential. As Red Cross, we are in touch with the government and other like-minded bodies to ensure that no more lives are lost,” she said, while urging the public to closely follow and urgently respond to directives from the government.
As part of the safety tips, Miningwo advised residents who are connected to electricity supply to ensure main switches are off whenever there are overflows.
“We are telling our people not to risk their lives by adhering to simple precautionary measures like avoiding crossing flooded rivers. There are designated rescue centres at community levels in the flood prone areas. For instance, at Namanjalala we have the market area as the rescue centre, while Marinda, Maridadi and Kapsitwet have the chiefs’ camps as rescue centres,” she added.
By Angela Musonye and Sheila Kirui
