Disaster is looming at Homa Bay pier beach after water level in Lake Victoria increased putting the bridge connecting the main land in jeopardy.
The unusually heavy ongoing rainfall being experienced in the country has led to the increase in the volume of Lake Victoria waters causing imbalance in the water getting in and out of the lake.
At Homa Bay, the increased volume of water has submerged a section of the pier posing a threat to the fisher folk and destroying livelihoods.
A survey conducted by KNA at the pier reveals that a larger section of the bridge has been washed away by backflow waters from the Lake posing a threat to the residents’ lives especially the fishermen and photographers.
The Homa Bay photographers’ self-help group, Aloice Ochieng Aoko told KNA that the increased water was flowing to the nearby business premises forcing some business people to shut down their premises.
Aoko who was accompanied by acting Assistant Secretary, Boniface Ouma further said that they have been forced to change the anchoring position of the boats entering the pier due to the slow destruction of the bridge in the main land.
“In case this rainfall will continue for the next two months in the region, then this bridge will collapse because it is now weak,” he noted.
At the same time, Aoko said that the bridge was used by tourists as they walked into the lake which connects the main land and the lake and in case it collapsed, then they would lose their jobs since the tourists liked taking their photos at the scene.
“This is our hustle. This is what is paying us. We don’t have any job apart from this one. We also have families who depend on them so incase the bridge collapses, then we are doomed,” he said.
He further said that the bridge is posing a threat to everyone entering the pier due to its present condition, saying that it could collapse any time in the event that swift action is not taken.
The duo further urged both the national government and county government to come in and send a rescue team to repair the bridge while it’s still early to avoid future misfortunes.
By Dan Oduor/Davis Langat
