Trans Nzoia,
Friday April 26, 2024
KNA by Angela Musonye/Sheila Kirui
As floods continue to cause havoc owing to heavy rains across the country, Trans Nzoia residents have been put on high alert. The alarm bells have been sounded by Red Cross, as leaders across the political divide pushed the government to declare the terrifying floods, a national disaster.
This comes as River Sabwani in Kwanza Sub County starts to show signs of imminent overflowing.
In the past, whenever the River stretches beyond limit, residents of Namanjalala area are usually left counting loses and even some are displaced.
Speaking to KNA, Trans Nzoia County Red Cross Coordinator Ruth Miningwo urged residents living in flood prone areas to relocate to higher grounds with immediate effect, before the situation gets out of hand.
Saying that no death had so far been reported in the area, Miningwo advised the public to take precautionary measures before it was too late.
As she advised people to move to higher grounds, the Coordinator singled out the slopes of Mt. Elgon and Cherangany Hills as places to be avoided, saying that the two are prone to landslides.
Meanwhile, the coordinator called for a multi sectorial approach to properly deal with the effects of the ongoing heavy rains, which are not showing signs of subsiding.
“For the country to properly deal with the effects of the heavy rains, a close working relationship between government agencies and the public is essential. As Red Cross, we are in touch with the government and other like-minded bodies to ensure that no more lives are lost,” she said, while urging the public to closely follow and urgently respond to directives from the government.
As part of the safety tips, Miningwo advised residents who are connected to electricity supply to ensure main switches are off whenever there are overflows.
“We are telling our people not to risk their lives by adhering to simple precautionary measures like avoiding to cross flooded rivers. There are designated rescue centres at community levels in the flood prone areas. For instance, at Namanjalala we have the Market area as the rescue centre, while Marinda, Maridadi and Kapsitwet have the chiefs’ camps as rescue centres,” she added.
Courtesy; KNA
