County residents in flood-prone areas have been encouraged to move to safer spaces to avoid loss of life and property. Migori is one of the 38 counties declared by the state to be within the “alarm stage” in the wake of heavy rains across the country.
Migori County Meteorological Service Official Naphtali Adhoch said the county was experiencing heavy rains apart from the Kuria Region, which has so far recorded below 500 mm of rainfall.
Uriri Sub County has so far recorded the highest rainfall of about 700 mm, which has heavily contributed to the rising waters of the River Oyani.
However, Migori County Secretary Oscar Olima affirmed that the county was on a higher alert to respond to emergencies in real-time, urging local residents living along the rivers Migori, Oyani, and Kuja to move to higher ground.
Early this month, the County Government issued foodstuffs, medical supplies, and household equipment to those affected by floods in Konyango, Kabuto, and Modi villages in the Nyatike Constituency.
According to Kenya Red Cross Society-Migori Official Kevin Ondieki, a total of 70 households comprising 413 people have been affected by flooding, primarily in Nyatike Sub County.
Migori County Commissioner David Gitonga, while chairing the Departmental Heads meeting, affirmed the coordination team was assessing the situation, especially in the Lower Kuja Irrigation Scheme, as they await the government response in terms of foodstuffs and other amenities.
The Lower Kuja Irrigation has also started to open up its dykes to channel its water to Lake Victoria to evade any possible floods in the lower Nyatike area.
By Geoffrey Makokha
