Laikipia residents living in areas prone to flooding have been urged to move to safe grounds to avert loss of lives and destruction of property by the deluge.

Local leaders speaking in Likii informal settlement where more than 20 families were affected by flash floods after the Likii River burst its banks on Thursday, they said that current rainfall was abnormal and could unleash havoc hence need to be cautious.

‘It’s clear that people are living along river routes and for the affected families; they shouldn’t dare to return from where we have moved them. It is good to monitor how the river is behaving since this is not normal rains,’ said Laikipia East Deputy Commissioner Patrick Muli, adding it was a measure to prevent losses caused by floods.

Laikipia deputy governor Rueben Kamuri said that the 7pm Thursday incident flattened several houses, and left a trail of destruction in the estate with nothing to salvage.

‘About 27 families were affected by floods and about 10 homes submerged; we were not able to
salvage anything. While the rest of the property was water soaked including books, clothing and beddings,’ said the deputy governor.

Following the incident, the government promised to provide temporary reprieve to the victims as they restart their lives.

Additionally, they received assorted goods including beddings, food stuffs and stationaries for the school going pupils whose books were destroyed from the government in partnership with other well-wishers.

Residents said that they watched desperately as their properties got destroyed by the raging floods, an incident they noted they had never witnessed in the past 50 years. Unknown value of property was ruined.

The incident comes barely a week after Nanyuki River which is barely meters away broke its bank displacing curio traders and tree growers in Nanyuki as rainfall continues to pound.

Source: Kenya News Agency