A 27-year-old man was on Sunday swept away by water while crossing the flooded River Thiba in Mwea West, Kirinyaga County.
According to Citizen Digital, the man was crossing the river from Ngurubani town to Gakungu village when the raging waters swept him away.
As a result, residents have called on the government to finish building the bridge to prevent such disasters when the River Thiba floods.
Further, more than 700 residents from three villages in Mwea have been rendered homeless after the Thiba River broke its banks on April 3.
Property of unknown value was also destroyed as flood waters raged through farmlands at the vast Mwea irrigation scheme.
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Residents have described the floods as unprecedented and called for immediate humanitarian assistance as the Meteorological Department predicts sustained heavy rains for the next four days.
Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru initiated emergency disaster response measures to deal with floods and other emergencies from heavy rains that have hit the county.
In a statement issued Friday, Waiguru asked people living near Thiba Dam and areas downstream to remain alert as water levels rise rapidly, heightening fears of a potential dam burst.
“I want to ask those blocking waterways to move away because our county is experiencing excess rains with Mwea being worst hit,” she said.
This comes shortly after hundreds of livestock were swept away by raging floods in the Kechii and Korossi areas in Tangulbei/Korossi Ward in Tiaty East Constituency in Kericho County.
This is following heavy rains in the area caused the bursting of two water pans in Katungura and Chepng'atip in Kokwototo.
This has led to massive losses, with four families in the area losing up to 118 cows and 100 goats.
“As residents we are asking the county government department of disaster to tour the area and ascertain the magnitude of the loss,” said Yudda Losutan, an elder in the area.
Locals have been advised to be careful when crossing swollen rivers in the area.
