A section of the Kisumu-Nairobi railway line in Muhoroni sub-county, Kisumu county, has been wrecked due to the recent heavy rains.
The damage has put Kenya Railways Corporation's (KRC) weekly passenger and train services to the lakeside city in peril.
According to a police report, destructive flood waters carried away the base of one of the pillars of the railway bridge at Kibigori.
According to the report, the dirt beneath the bridge sustaining the line has also caved in. The damage is a severe threat that requires fast action to prevent a calamity.
Did you read this?
On Mondays and Fridays, the KRC metre gauge railway train travels to Kisumu for people and goods.
Kisumu County has been devastated by the recent rains, with the sub-counties of Nyando, Kisumu East, Kadibo, Muhoroni, and Nyakach most heavily hit.
On 30 April, river Nyando burst its banks, flooding sections of Nyando Sub-County, particularly around Ahero. Nyakach was also flooded in certain areas. Kisumu governor Professor Anyang Nyong'o stated on April 30th, urging all inhabitants in flood-prone regions to evacuate immediately.
As of 30 April, the Kisumu government reported 1,500 homes relocated in Nyando and 2,700 across the county. Many of the displaced families have lost property, crops, and livestock. According to the governor, flood victims desperately need water, medicine, blankets, mattresses, mosquito nets, and food. The governor predicted that the heavy rains would continue and more households would be affected.
