Over 1,700 families have been displaced by floods in Karachuonyo Constituency, Homa Bay County.
According to the area County Commissioner Moses Lilan, most displaced families were inhabitants of Simbi, Kobuya, Chuowe, and Osodo villages.
Further, Lilan revealed that inhabitants of areas adjacent to the rivers Kuja and Oyombe in the Ndhiwa constituency and Remba Island in the Suba North constituency have also been affected by floods.
Additionally, he said that about 540 families were displaced from the areas last week.
“Floods experienced on Remba Island are a result of the backflow of Lake Victoria. In the other areas, rivers have burst their banks,” Lilan said.
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He said displaced families in Karachuonyo were temporarily accommodated at Kobuya and Osodo Primary Schools and Simbi Dispensary.
Lilan added that the disaster management committee, composed of officials from the county and national governments, has moved in to help the affected families.
Similarly, he said that the Kenya Red Cross has also swiftly established tents in camps.
The Kenya Meteorological Department alerted that more rain was expected in the Nyanza counties.
Lilan said they were sensitizing public members to be vigilant about the dangers of the heavy rains and to move away from flood-prone areas.
“The disaster management committee members are implementing measures to mitigate the adverse effects of the floods, including preventing losses and deaths,” he said.
“National government administration officials are mobilizing residents to leave areas that have been marked as flood-prone areas.”
The floods have also damaged Kenya Power's electricity poles in the Chuowe area. Commissioner Lilan says the parastatal has been instructed to move quickly and repair the damaged lines.
He said anyone passing next to a collapsed power line should be careful.
