15 October 2008
Nairobi — Three people are feared dead after floods swept across Mandera town on Tuesday night, leaving at least 10,000 people homeless.
According to the regional manager of the Kenya Red Cross in the North Eastern Province, Mr Mohammed Ibrahim, over 1, 800 households have been displaced when river Laga burst its banks.
The military has moved in today with water bowsers to provide clean water to the victims.
The largely arid North Eastern Province is prone to floods whenever it receives heavy rains. In this recent incident, 20 people are reported to be critically injured.
Three schools have already been closed, and at least seven wells have been submerged. An unknown number of livestock is also missing.
Two villages--Jamhuri and Bula Mpya-- are still submerged in the flood waters. Many residents are still marooned in the town after being cut off by the flood waters.
The damage also hit the Kenya Forest Service which lost over 1500 seedlings following the raging waters.
As of Tuesday night, Mr Ibrahim said, a crisis meeting led by the area District Commissioner was held to plan a rescue operation. The Red Cross's communication officer Titus Mung'ou said the rescue operations are being led by the security agencies and residents.
The humanitarian organisation has started distributing blankets, tents, mosquito nets and other non-food items to the flood victims.
The victims are now exposed to water-borne diseases since the floods washed away 350 pit-latrines. Power blackouts remain in the area following the floods although no rains were experienced as of Tuesday night.
The flood waters have contaminated the water pans and unprotected shallow wells, which are the main sources of water for a huge number of the people living in the town.
The District Disaster Committee is currently touring the area to assess the extent of the damage, but preliminary reports cite the foul smell emanating from the toilet refuse as hampering the rescue operation.
"Depending on the report from the District Disaster Committee, Kenya Red Cross Health team is on standby to leave Nairobi in the afternoon, to back-up the Ministry of Health in containing any outbreak of diseases," Mr Mung'ou said in a statement.
There is currently a humanitarian crisis in the area that calls for urgent provision of sanitary kits, tents, utensils, and other relief assistance measures.
The Red Cross has reported a reduction in the water levels, saying some roads would be passable before the end of the day.
Two years ago, the region, especially Wajir, Mandera and Elwak towns were hit by floods that led to massive displacement and major communication hitches with neighbouring towns. There was also a cholera outbreak in Wajir during the time.
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