Several families in the Cheptiret area of Uasin Gishu County were forced to spend the night in the cold following raging floods due to a heavy downpour that lasted for three hours.
The residents also said they lost property, including planted maize fields that have been completely flooded due to the ongoing rains.
Uasin Gishu Governor Dr. Jonathan Bii announced today morning that a multi-agency rapid response disaster team comprising the county government, the national government through NGAO, religious organisations, and the Red Cross has been formed to ensure rapid assistance to areas that might suffer flooding due to the rains.
Speaking in Cheptiret, when he visited the families impacted by yesterday’s floods, the governor appealed to residents in areas deemed prone to floods and other disasters that may occur during the rains to heed safety directives issued by the government and other agencies.
The governor assessed the drainage and spearheaded the clearing of blocked streams to ease the flooding.
While engaging with the affected residents, he reassured them of his administration’s support while working in tandem with relevant agencies.
He called on the residents residing near riverbanks and dams to exercise the utmost caution amidst the ongoing heavy rainfall across the country.
“These are the effects of climate change; we are overwhelmed; we have never witnessed such phenomena before, and it’s time we listen and put in place scientific intervention to mitigate the same,” said Governor Bii, adding that it was time those living upstream accepted to have water diverted to nearby rivers through their farms.
“It’s unfortunate everybody wants to divert water from farms to the roads, which turned one of the roads into a fast-flowing river last evening, causing flooding,” he observed.
Among the institutions flooded are Cheptiret Catholic and AIC churches, business premises along the Eldoret-Nakuru road. Traffic was also interrupted for several hours due to the flooding.
By Kiptanui Cherono
