Residents of Kiambu County have been ordered to vacate areas within the 30-metre riparian corridor of water courses across the county and sink residential buildings for their own safety.
The County Commissioner (CC) and Chairman of the Kiambu County Disaster Management Team, Daniel Darusi, told KNA that the team is up to the task of mitigating evacuation and rescue efforts in the county and has been doing so.
“We have been trying our best to minimise the effects despite a few fatalities we have had,” he noted, and he confirmed that households from three residential buildings within Kiambu County have been evacuated following the ongoing heavy rains and flooding that is being experienced in the country.
The CC noted that the three buildings, namely Kia-Mumbi, Juja, and Ruaka, had been a risk, and it was necessary for evacuations to be deployed to save other people.
In Ruaka, one person died and another was injured after the perimeter wall of an apartment collapsed on an adjacent iron sheet residential structure.
In Kia Mumbi, more than 20 tenants in a building area were asked to vacate as the building had started to have cracks, showing signs of sinking, while in Juja, residents living in waterlogged areas were advised to move to higher ground following heavy rains.
“We have identified rescue centres in some schools and a few churches where those who have been evacuated are being sheltered,” he noted.
In terms of support for those affected, Darusi thanked the government through the special programmes and mentioned First Lady Rachel Ruto and Deputy President’s spouse Dorcas Rigathi, who have been supporting those affected through giving.
Two days ago, Mrs. Ruto distributed food and household items to 203 families, affected by flooding in Kilimambogo area Thika West, Kiambu County and assured the victims of governments full support, while Pastor Dorcas Rigathi donated food and non-food items in areas of Ruiru, Githunguri and also Gatundu.
The CC said that most of the flooding being experienced in residential areas is due to human activities such as clogging of drainages, buildings in riparian areas, and inappropriate buildings.
Darusi confirmed that inspection and assessment by a multi-agency team comprising county and national government officials have been on the ground.
“Most of the fatalities we have had in Kiambu are being attributed to the collapse of structures and not flooding,” he confirmed, mentioning that it was unfortunate that the buildup of water in the Kijabe area originated from Kiambu, affecting Mai Mahiu-Naivasha road.
He added that they have mobilised a team so that a recurrence does not occur, especially in the areas around the Kijabe Mission Hospital and also the Rift Valley Academy school, adding, ‘We have mapped the area and evacuated people.”
He thanked the national government and military for coming to support during the search and rescue mission in Kijabe but noted the need to have a long-term solution.
“We must unclog the railway tunnels that have been blocked, which is leading to the buildup of water, and for this, we may need some support from the National Disaster Operations Centre because of the capacity, maybe beyond the railways, and our own local capacity as a multi-agency team,” said Darusi, noting that through the National Disaster Operations Centre, action will be taken soonest.
On Sunday evening, Kijabe Mission received 62.5mm of rain, even as the railway embankments continue to fill with water, making the area unstable and a further collapse of the railways likely.
On the Thika Superhighways, Darusi said the piling of water, especially in the Juja areas and Kahawa Sukari area, has seen the deployment of temporary police to guide motorists and urged motorists to also take caution.
Darusi explained that the county government has deployed three excavators in every ward to assist in the drilling and opening up of unclogged areas.
“I still want to implore and urge residents of Kiambu to take precaution, listen to authorities, and cooperate. Let us not dare nature be patient, and though it may cause inconveniences, it is better to be safe even as we continue to monitor the situation on the ground,” the County Commissioner said.
Since the heavy rains started, Kiambu County has seen five dams marked as risky as water levels have been rising, namely the Lari Swamp, Ruruti dam in Limuru, Brookside/Gicheha dam in Ruiru, Kiahuria, and Selecta public dams in Juja.
Meanwhile, in Kiambu County, Meteorological Director Magdalene Gateri has indicated that lower ground areas, namely Juja, Ruiru, and Thika, are expected to receive less amounts of rain, while sub-counties like Kiambu and Kiambaa are expected to receive the highest amounts of rain, ranging from 20mm to more than 50 mm.
By Wangari Ndirangu
