More than 20 families have been left homeless after a heavy downpour accompanied by strong winds struck Marigat town, Baringo South Sub-County Saturday evening.
Confirming the incident on Saturday, Marigat Ward administrator Obeta Sirma said the 5pm heavy rains and hailstorms led to destruction of property of unknown value as roofs of business premises and homes were swept away, while trees fell on vehicles that were packed along the roads, causing unforeseen damages.
“The most affected places included the market around Marigat Secondary and Budalangi with vegetables vendors being the hardest hit after their goods were swept away by the flash floods,” Sirma said.
Jane Cheruiyot, a business lady in the town market said over 300 of them lost their stock after the strong winds and floods swept away their goods.
They have since urged the government to help them re-start all over again as they had taken loans to step up their businesses.
“We have nowhere to start as all our goods have been swept away and our children depend on us for school fees and food, so we ask the government to come to our aid,” she said.
Another resident, Joel Kimutai said that the winds were so strong that they caused acacia trees that have been providing shades to fall causing road blockages, while power lines got swept away as Wananchi watched helplessly.
Deputy governor Charles Kipngok who visited the town on Sunday morning together with area MCA Nixon Lemlem to assess the situation, said the county government would work round the clock to develop the local infrastructure by opening up drainages and building of gabions to avoid future flooding.
“As a county, we have the mandate of expanding our networks to adequately support and embrace new institutions, whose mission is to always remain focused in line with disaster prevention, mitigation and response,” he said.
Kipngok assured residents that going forward the county government will continue to partner with World Vision, Red Cross and other NGOs to build a flood resilient program that will involve tree planting and other soil conservation techniques, aimed at protecting the bare sun baked grounds that hardly absorb running water leading to gully erosion.
By Caroline Cherono
