More than 310 families in seven villages in Karachuonyo constituency displaced by floods are now predisposed to contracting coronavirus.
The families have been forced to camp at Osodo primary and secondary schools, Osodo SDA church, Chuowe Pentecostal church while others have sought safety in their relatives’ homes and rental houses at trading centers.
The floods occurred when River Miriu broke its banks four days ago due to heavy rains.
Confirming the incident to KNA, the area Disaster Manager Kennedy Ochola and chairman of Aluora Makare, a non-governmental organization Willys Okeyo said the situation was predisposing them to risks of covid-19 infection.
“We are at risk of contracting the virus because many people have thronged these camps because they have nowhere to go,” Ochola said.
At the same time, Ochola called on government agencies to intervene with covid-19 protective gears and humanitarian aid.
“The way they live in the camp is against the social distancing required by health experts especially on covid-19. Let the government to come up with policies which can enhance prevention of the virus in the camps,” Ochola said.
The affected villages are Osodo, Kowuor Agindo, Konyango, Komenya,
Kasirawa, Kobuya and Kobuya in Wang’chieng ward.
Some of the affected families had their homes marooned by the water while others were totally destroyed.
On his part, Okeyo expressed concern that the floods were going to cause unprecedented famine in the area after destroying crops on farmland.
“A lot of crops have been destroyed in farmlands, meaning we are going to suffer from famine in a few months,” Okeyo.
They further appealed to the government to consider having a long lasting solution to the perennial problem of floods.
Okeyo called on residents to prioritize preservation of environment saying, “The floods are a result of environmental degradation. Let us embrace environment conservation.”
By Dan Oduor and Davis Langat
