A 15-year-old girl died on Sunday afternoon after a seasonal river swell following the ongoing El-Nino rains in the Kargi location, Laisamis Constituency, Marsabit County.
Confirming the incident, Kargi/South Horr member of the County Assembly (MCA) Christopher Ogom said the girl who was herding goats in the outskirts of Kargi Township was swept away by the raging waters of river Hallam as she made attempts to cross over it.
Ogom said efforts by residents led by area Assistant Chief Moses Galoro managed to retrieve the body of the deceased.
Further, he said that the swollen river has been flowing continuously for weeks since rains started pounding the region, thereby cutting off the township from Marsabit town and the rest of the county.
The area has been experiencing non-stop enhanced rains for several weeks, rendering the Marsabit-Kargi road impassable.
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Consequently, area residents have been hardest hit by a shortage of basic commodities, including foodstuffs, fuel, and medical supplies.
They also decried that it is difficult to refer sick patients who require urgent medical attention to the Marsabit County referral hospital as Kargi Township cannot be accessed by road.
The MCA appealed to the government to respond quickly to the plight of the residents through the provision of food aid and immediate refurbishment of the damaged road to avert more suffering and losses.
“I am appealing to the government to urgently fix the Hallam River Stretch of the Marsabit-Kargi road to allow transportation of people and goods, as well as movement of livestock,” he appealed.
