Scores of families living in landslide prone areas have been relocated to safer areas as heavy rains continue to pound Murang’a County.
Thirteen families from Ndiara village in Murarandia location were on Monday moved to safer areas after huge cracks emerged at their compounds.
Other families in Mathioya Sub-county have also been relocated after mudslide hit and destroyed part of their houses.
On Sunday night, some houses in Murarandia started sinking forcing local administration to relocate the affected families.
The Mararandia Assistant County Commissioner (ACC), Patrick Wasonga has said a team of government officials has been moving along villages assessing how the situation is and providing advice so as to avert disaster.
Wasonga noted that the affected families have been moved to schools and churches in upper areas perceived to be safe.
He observed that tea growing zones have been greatly affected by the ongoing rains after hundreds of tea bushes were swept away by landslides.
“We are on ground assessing the situation as we advise families to move to safer areas as we want to avert disaster that can lead to lose of lives,” added Wasonga.
The County Disaster Committee recently marked out 88 villages as landslide risk areas and advised local residents to move to safer grounds.
The Murang’a County Meteorological Director, Paul Murage said the county will continue to receive more rains till end of the month.
Murage warned that most of dams in the county, including Ndakaini dams are almost full and spillage may cause flooding in lower parts of the county.
Ndakaini dam, a major water reservoir for Nairobi is at 90 percent full and spillage will occasion flooding at lower areas including Ithanga location.
The Murang’a County Police Commander (CPC), Joseph Kinyua has cautioned people living lower areas of the county to be on the lookout and move to safer areas, which are far from river Chania and Thika which may cause flooding.
“There is likelihood that Ndakaini dam located in upper part of Gatanga Sub-county will fill this week, with excess water spilling into Thika river,” said Kinyua.
By Sunday evening, Ndaka- ini dam registered 90.56 percent storage capacity, with inflow of 11.206 cubic metres per second.
The dam with a capacity to hold 63,392,000 cubic meters of water, is major source of water to Nairobi County and its environs.
By Bernard Munyao
