The number of flood victims has risen to 237 up from 194 the previous week, Devolution CS Eugene Wamalwa has said.
On Wednesday, the CS noted that the number of affected households has shot to 161,000.
“That is a very high number compared to those Kenyans who have lost their lives to COVID-19 who are about 33,” CS Wamalwa said.
He also told reporters that the numbers mean that at least 807 Kenyans are affected by the heavy rains.
Further, he stated, the situation will worsen as dams continue to fill up.
“With rains going on and our dams filling (up), it means more will be affected. We are urging people in flood-prone areas, mudslide prone areas to move to higher grounds,” he reiterated.
Wamalwa also said that worst hit are people living around Lake Victoria who are receiving government aid.
“We are visiting all the affected areas, like in Lake Naivasha people around there have been affected but the worst affected is around Lake Victoria. We are assisting those affected with food and clean water and other basic necessities.”
Over 44,000 people have been displaced by the floods in Budalangi and over 60,000 in Nyando, he said.
Also affected is Mandera, Garissa and Tana River counties.
Last week, Interior CS Fred Matiang’i threatened to have Kenyans living in flood prone areas forcibly evacuated.
“We have an operation and we are moving people away from danger and that level of alert will be addressed until we are out of danger. If we don’t move people along water bodies it will be disastrous. We have no option but to move those who live there by force,” he said.
“We have been warned several times about our behaviour especially in certain estates in Nairobi and in Mombasa. Government is putting forward scientific information- let’s change our behaviour. Now, we are going to be forced to have to do certain things that we ourselves as Government didn’t want to do to secure the lives of our people and, especially, the lives of innocent Kenyans,” he added.
The meteorological department says the rains are set to continue well into the month of June.
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