Thousands of Tana Delta Sub County residents in Tana River County are in dire need of relief food, fresh water, and shelter after their houses were swept away by the flood disaster.
The worst hit area is Kipini West where villages were completely submerged and residents were forced to move to seek refuge in neighboring villages which are on safe grounds where they have established camps.
Others have established camps within the area where there are no flood waters to temporarily stay with their families.
The road to Chara is completely cut off and there is no public transport except boda-boda which can only reach a certain area with difficulty making costs of transport very expensive.
Journalists toured some of the villages in Kipini West and came face to face with the effects of the disaster, victims and their families including young, old, elderly, the sick and men forced to crowd in the same shelter and sleep on the ground.
Already there are reports of water-born diseases and malaria as locals are drinking water directly from the flooded river and where they sleep, they are exposed to mosquitoes.
At Marafa Internal Displaced People (IDP) camp Hassan Galogalo a resident Kipini West said the situation was bad as Marafa village for example is hosting seven other villages including Mwanja, Odole, Mbelezoni, Darga, Shirikisho and Samicha.
Speaking at Marafa IDP camp Galgalo said it was sad that the National and county government has not intervened since the disaster hit the area two weeks ago after dams released water upstream leaving thousands to suffer.
“Recently when Mai Mahiu disaster struck the whole world gathered there including the President went there, who have we wrong as residents of Kipini West, and Tana Delta, have we wronged God?” he said.
Galgalo said the disaster they are facing now came after seven dams were released as they have not received rains but no one is bothering to come for the help of the poor victims.
So far, he said Kenya Red Cross is registering victims while other NGOs are also visiting the affected families but no support has been given to them so far.
“These people are going through a difficult time, congested the camp has over 1000 houses, we also have camps in Chamwanamuma, Anasa, Semicaro, Mandingo up to Bura Amani, people have moved from their homes the whole area is flooded why is the government not helping them,” he said.
Galgalo also called on the County Government to intervene as their efforts have not been seen ever since the disaster struck the residents.
He said if the dams are not able to contain the water upstream, they should build 10 mor to prevent such disasters in future.
Shono Bawatha an IDP from Samicha currently camping at Marafa Camp said since they went to the camp two weeks ago, they have not received any help from the government.
She said its only Kenya Red Cross Society who visited them and registered them but they do not have food, clean water, mosquito nets and proper shelter.
“Our only problem now is food, nets, there is no water we drink water from the river, the water purifiers are over now so there is no one who have access to fresh water,” she said.
Halima Yesse an IDP from Semicaro said her 7-acre farm with crops that were near maturity have been swept away by floods.
“All my crops have been destroyed, I have not seen any government officials, no MCA, now am just praying God there is nothing that I have been left with,” she said.
Elema Komoro from Marafa blamed the floods disaster to Government for releasing water from the dams upstream.
He said the county and National government have not supported them in any way despite the fact that they were suffering with no clean water, food, mosquito nets and proper shelter.
“Where is the Kenya Kwanza Government, the county Government? Since the floods we have not seen the governor of Tana River visiting the floods victims are you alive or dead you’d rather resign, where is the MP I do not think we have one,” he said adding that their area MCA retired and does not care about his people anymore
He said they do not know whether they are real Kenyans and asked the government to let them know so that they can look for another place to go as they were suffering.
