Maurice K'aluoch
23 April 2008
Nairobi — Residents of Wahambla and Got Kokech villages in Asego Division of Homa Bay District are still in shock after narrowly escaping death in last Sunday night's torrential rains that left behind a trail of destruction and desperation.
More than 500 families were displaced when seasonal River Rangwena burst its banks, and instead of emptying its water into Lake Victoria hardly 500 metres away, it changed its course and flooded the villages.
Chief John Akado Ndiga described the situation as horrifying.
The ever-busy centre at Nyalkinyi junction centre where about 100 families eke out a living from small businesses and the neighbouring Rech centre with a total of 24 families bore the brunt of the floods.
The floods washed away kiosks and homes at the centres.
At Nyalkinyi centre, a tearful 43-year-old Luka Odongo Mboya narrated how he almost lost his two children to the raging floods.
Mboya said they were woken up at 3am by screams of the children who were being washed away by water.
He said they jumped out of bed only to discover that the entire house was engulfed in knee-deep water.
Mboya and his family decided to climb on top of a sideboard.
However, as the rains continued to pound the area, the sideboard was washed away, throwing off balance Mboya and his family.
He had to throw away his TV set and a video recorder which he was holding to rescue a child who was being swept away.
Mboya's neighbours at Nyalkinyi, among them 45-year-old Mama Elizabeth Atieno Odindo, lost 20 bags of maize which were her business stock.
Ms Alice Akoth Aieno and Ms Mauline Akinyi also lost the stock of their shops and kiosks to the floods.
At the nearby Rech centre, Mama Mary Ongoro Otiende and 28-year-old Duncan Ambrose were devastated by their losses.
Mary, who is a widow, and Ambrose narrated how they were woken up by the floods sweeping away their kiosks alongside mattresses, blankets, sheep and chicken.
On the opposite side of Rech centre, a mini lake was formed submerging a swathe of maize and sorghum farms. The way to Got Kokech Primary School was cut off.
The destruction of the maize and sorghum farms heightened fears of famine.
According to 50-year-old John Fuodi Boyi, the last time such a disaster was witnessed in the area was in 1976.
"We only witnessed such floods in 1976 but they were not that destructive compared with what I have witnessed today," he said.
Most villagers predicted a bleak future as crops in the farms and grains in granaries were destroyed.
Chief Ndiga, of East Kanyada Location, said the damaged farms were the source of food for hundreds of people who reside on higher grounds.
"Most of these farms belong to people who reside in the higher grounds. Unless they get assistance from well-wishers, there may be a crisis," he added.
Homa Bay district commissioner Bernard Leparmarai, who led his district security committee, among them head of police Jimmy Mnene to the scene pledged Government support.
He said various organisations like the Kenya Red Cross Society, Medicine San Frontiers and other NGOs had been approached.
The DC said most of the affected urgently required blankets, mattresses and food.
The administrator urged the displaced people to move to higher grounds.
"The Metrological Department has made it clear that the long rains are still on. Let us consider moving away from the lower grounds to avoid further catastrophe," he said.
The DC was optimistic that life would soon return to normal since what they witnessed were flash floods. He added that both his district disaster committee and the district agriculture committee would meet to deliberate on the way forward.
Rangwe member of Parliament Martin Ogindo appealed for Government intervention.
He said it would be wrong to dismiss the extent of devastation by the floods since those affected had lost all their property.
The MP noted that since the tragedy had struck at the height of a looming famine, the Government should move fast and provide the people with relief food.
Homa Bay District last witnessed such flash floods in 2004 when River Oluch burst its banks and left a trail of destruction in Kagan Kochia, Kanyaluo and Koyugi locations.
Several shops at Oluch and Nyangweso markets were brought down while an infant died after the raging waters knocked the father down.
The Government, in conjunction with several relief agencies and churches, intervened and set up a camp for the displaced at Samanga Primary School in West Karachuonyo.
On Monday, the displaced residents expressed optimism that the Government would assist them.
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