Nairobi — Budalang'i MP Raphael Wanjala yesterday urged the Government to urgently send helicopters to airlift foods and medicines to about 30,000 area residents trapped in floods since Wednesday night.

"The situation is still very bad since those trapped cannot be accessed by any means except choppers and motorised boats," he said.

A lasting solution should be found to the floods problem, he added.

Khajula, Bunyala Central and Bunyala South locations in the new Bunyala district are marooned by raging floods which hit the area after River Nzoia broke its banks.

Sanitary materials

The residents fear outbreaks of waterborne diseases if the Government does not send medicines, sanitary materials and drinking water to the victims as soon as possible.

But yesterday, when he led a team of medical personnel to the area to assess the situation, Busia medical officer of health Silas Ayunga dispelled the fears, saying that there were enough drugs and that his team was able to contain the situation.

The MP praised the local NGOs for their efforts to rescue people trapped in their homes.

But he lamented that the work was being hampered by lack of motorboats to enable them to reach all the victims.

Victims who escaped from their homes are camped on higher grounds at Makunda mixed secondary school and the Mukhobola health centre.

National Youth Service personnel who have been rehabilitating the dykes, the MP said, could not do so effectively because of relentless rains since last December.