More families in Bunyala Sub County are camping along the roadside awaiting evacuation after floodwaters submerged their houses Friday night.
Star newspaper correspondent Gilbert Ochieng was also among those families that were displaced.
Speaking to the press at Rwambwa roadside on Saturday morning, Ochieng said that he had to move his family at 6.00 am when the water reached his house.
“The water has affected us this morning after River Nzoia broke its bank affecting most homes,” he said pointing at the number of families camping at the roadside.
He added that the stranded families are waiting for government support in terms of evacuation.
“We have managed to salvage our household goods but the major challenge is that our houses are likely to fall from the effects of water,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Sub County Disaster Management Committee has hired several boats to help in evacuating families that are marooned by the floods.
Busia County Commissioner Joseph Kanyiri has directed the area Deputy County Commissioner and other National Government Administration Officers to forcefully evacuate those who are still staying in the flood-prone areas adding that the wait-and-see attitude may end up being tragic.
“There should be no more waiting, it may become hard to evacuate them if and when all roads are cut,” he said.
Kanyiri, who visited the area in the company of the county security team on Friday urged the locals to vacate their homes during the day warning that defiant ones risked being arrested and charged in court.
By Friday evening, around 2,000 families had been displaced with leaders projecting that additional families are likely to be affected.
Meanwhile, a number of families at Busagwa have refused to vacate their flooded homes even after the rescue team reached them using five boats.
The rescue team leader is now threatening to halt operations even as experts predict more rains today evening.
By Salome Alwanda
Disaster response team hires more boats to evacuate flood victims
