In Karachuonyo, Homa Bay County, four villages were inundated by floods on Tuesday night, leaving over 540 families without a place to live.
According to data from the Kenya Red Cross, 980 households have been impacted by floods in at least ten counties over the past 24 hours.
Following heavy rains that battered the Karachuonyo Constituency, residents of the four villages of Kamneya, Kowuor, Kasirawa, and Konyango were left without a place to live. As a result, over 540 households need to relocate to higher ground.
"People do not have a place to call home, we are talking high rates of hippos scavenging for pastures and a threat to security," said Kobala resident Willis Omulo.
Florence Adhiambo added: "We have Cholera and Malaria, the breeding areas are affecting us because of floods."
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The impacted families need humanitarian aid while they look for other places to stay, such as nearby schools and churches. Due to the flooding of their farms, farmers are also tallying their losses.
"540 households affected, floods will increase in the coming days...they should move to higher ground even in churches, neighbouring schools," advised Kobala Assistant Chief George Oburu.
The floods have also impacted Mwea residents in Kirinyaga County, leaving rice farmers disappointed as they had anticipated a bumper harvest.
“Imeharibu manyumba ,vyombo, watoto wanashindwa, manyumba imebomoka,” rice farmer Alice Wairimu stated.
Tabitha Njeri added: “Watu hawana pa kupitia, wengine michele imeharibika, mashamba huwezi elewa mchele na barabara zimeharibika, wakuje watuchimbie mtaro ndio maji ipate njia ya kupitia.”
The body of a 30-year-old who was carried away by this week's floods was found in Kinyaata and Masinga, Machakos County, on Wednesday afternoon following the start of a search and rescue operation.
According to the Kenya Red Cross, the floods have now affected at least ten counties, including Machakos, Narok, Tana River, Homa Bay, and Nyeri.
Fifty acres of farmland in Katangini, Machakos, and forty business buildings in Narok were submerged.
Ten road closures have also occurred in Elgeyo Marakwet, Garissa, Tana River, Wajir, Nyeri, Isiolo, and Migori counties.
The Kenya Red Cross teams trained volunteers from Makueni, Machakos, Kajiado, and Kitui counties on how to respond to disasters, particularly flooding, as part of their efforts to save lives. Wote, in Makueni County, was the location of the three-day course.
According to Stacey Pekke of the Kenya Red Cross disaster response team, "they are trained on how to use boats to help evacuate victims when there is a situation of near drowning."
Since the nation started to receive heavy rains, 3,874 households have been impacted.
Additionally, according to the Kenya Red Cross, there have been 11 recorded deaths, 55 rescues, and three injuries nationwide.
