Elgeyo Marakwet County commissioner John Korir has called on 1,500 people living in Kessup village in Keiyo North Sub County to move to safer ground because of the risk of Yokot dam breaking its banks following heavy rains currently pounding the country.
Korir who led a team of security personnel who were on a tour of dams in the county said another dam which was almost spilling over was Kapkesem dam in Keiyo South Sub County.
The CC said he was happy that four families living next to Kapkesem dam had agreed to move to safer grounds and called on residents to take individual responsibility for their lives even as the government does its best in ensuring their safety.
Korir called on hundreds of residents living along the hanging valley, an area which has been experiencing landslides in each rainy season, to take precautions and move to avert any disaster.
He appealed to residents to avoid crossing submerged roads and collapsed bridges and instead wait until the waters subside saying they would rather get late to where they were going instead of risking their lives.
He attributed the continued landslides affecting the area to planting of crops along the steep slopes and called on residents to take advantage of the current rains to plant indigenous trees as well as fruit trees and coffee which will help in holding the soils.
He said the county had fully activated the disaster response team which involves both the national and county governments, the Kenya Red Cross and other agencies to deal with any eventuality.
Meanwhile in a statement signed by both the County Commissioner and the governor as co-chairs of the county disaster committee, the duo called on residents who have built near waterways to clear any structure that may obstruct water channels to prevent further damage.
The two advised residents to use the toll free number 1199, 0720903030 (Kenya Red Cross) or 0728602502 to report any cases of emergency.
By Alice Wanjiru
