April 03, 2024
KNA by Peter Gitonga and Ngasike Ezekiel
Transport activities were Wednesday paralysed due to ongoing rains being experienced in many parts of Turkana County.
Several seasonal rivers across the county were impassable due to high level of water flow.
Among the rivers that burst their banks was Nakiria in Kalokol and river Kataboi in Turkana North.
Places like Kalimapus, Loropio were rendered inaccessible by the rains.
Chegem Simon, a World Vision Enumerator who was travelling to Todonyang from Lodwar on Wednesday morning says they was forced to end their journey and revert back to Lodwar as river Nakiria was flooded.
“People have stayed here for long and we have decided to cancel our activities that had to take place in Todonyang in Turkana North. We shall therefore plan for a later date because we have been inconvenienced by the floods,” he said
Other motorists and passengers spent hours waiting for water to subside so they may continue with their activities.
Passengers traveling along the Lodwar- Kalokol route were also left stranded due to flooding at River Kataboi in Turkana North.
According to the county meteorological director Francis Muinda, several wards in Turkana County will receive moderate to very heavy rainfall (10-140) mm over the next two weeks.
Residents are advised to be on the lookout for potential floods and strong winds.
‘Flood waters may appear in areas where it has not rained heavily especially downstream and
strong winds may blow off roofs, uproot trees and cause structural damages,’ said Muinda.
Turkana County is expected to experience morning rains as well as afternoon showers and thunderstorms over several places during the course of the forecast period.