Over 600 families from Irehaboru area in Isiolo County need to be relocated owing to recurrent floods when Ewaso Nyiro River burst banks, the deputy County Secretary in charge of coordination of NGOs Mr Mohamed Boru has said.
Speaking during a Special County Steering Group today, Mr. Boru said that people living in Irehaboru have been experiencing disasters related to floods every rainy season forcing the government to spend a lot of money on rescuing and feeding them at the expense of other priorities.
Mr. Boru reported that the Ewaso Nyiro River has changed its original course due to farming activities that have been taking place along the river basin and the rain pounding the areas upstream.
The county boss said that a total of 1120 families have been displaced by the ongoing rains and urged the local residents and the herders roaming with their animals to move to safer grounds.
Boru said that both the national and county governments have distributed relief food support to Kinna, Rapsu, Duse and Gana villages in Garbatulla Sub-County where residents were affected by the recent floods.
The Chief Officer for Water and Sanitation Mr. Godana Dida said that a total of 15 boreholes have been drilled between Isiolo and Modogashe by road contractors’ hence halting water trucking in Modogashe trading centre temporarily.
Mr. Dida said that water shortage has also affected Isiolo town residents since the communities upstream have been irrigating their farms reducing water flow in the rivers by 50 per cent.
The water boss said that water trucking from Habasweni to Modogashe would be a thing of the past as water piping from Banale would be complete in a few weeks’ time.
The National Drought Management Authority, county coordinator, Mr. Omar Abdi said that the government has distributed adequate relief food to hot spot areas of Ngaremara, Chari, Sericho, Kinna, Oldonyiro, Wabera and Bulapesa.
He said the elderly, People Living with Disability, Orphaned and Vulnerable Children and local primary and secondary schools were the beneficiaries of the food aid as well as keeping the children in learning institutions.
Mr. Abdi added that a recent visit by Cabinet Secretary for East African Community Rebecca Miano led to identification of the hot spot areas for flash flood victims, drought and insecurity.
The NDMA coordinator said that his office has identified the neediest people in the county and urged development actors to channel their support resources to CSG to avoid duplication of activities.
By Abduba Mamo and David Nduro
