A scene at Macalder village in Nyatike Sub-County, Migori County where a mining tunnel caved in as a number of miners worked. PHOTO | BENSON MOMANYI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
A scene at Macalder village in Nyatike Sub-County, Migori County where a mining tunnel caved in as a number of miners worked. PHOTO | BENSON MOMANYI | NATION MEDIA GROUP Summary
- Gold miners said several pits in most of the mines have been collapsing almost daily since the onset of the rainy season.
- At Manywanda A and Manywanda B primary schools in Kisii, learning was on Wednesday disrupted following heavy flooding.
- Governor Mike Sonko said that lack of proper drainage systems had exposed residents to danger that comes with storm water when it rains.
- And in Chitago village, a granny, 90, escaped death narrowly when her hut collapsed.
Emergency workers on Wednesday retrieved two bodies from a collapsed mine in Nyatike, Migori County, as hopes of finding alive six other miners buried in the tunnel dimmed.
The mine caved in on Tuesday evening, with the incident blamed on the heavy rains pounding the region. According to Migori County police boss Joseph Nthenge, all the miners were feared dead as rescue efforts were delayed by bad weather and poor equipment.
Gold miners said several pits in most of the mines have been collapsing almost daily since the onset of the rainy season.
“It was clear the mine would collapse but our colleagues decided to risk because of lack of school fees for their children who were to go back to school for the second term,” said Tobias Mwita, a miner.
LEARNING DISRUPTED
At Manywanda A and Manywanda B primary schools in Kisii, learning was on Wednesday disrupted following heavy flooding.
Latrines at the schools also sank, leaving learners with nowhere to relieve themselves.
And at Nyamonde Secondary School in South Mugirango, the latrine sank, nearly killing a student who had gone to answer a call of nature.
“He survived by the grace of God but we lost the ablution block that serves the male students,” school head teacher Thomas Obachi told the Nation.
Following the destruction by floods, the Raila Odinga-led ODM party has asked the government to declare the crisis a national disaster.
The floods have already claimed at least 113 lives in 10 counties, and have led to the displacement of over 260,000 people in the last two months.
ODM secretary-general Edwin Sifuna said that the floods had caused too much destruction and required more attention.
FLOOD VICTIMS
“The party empathises with all the victims of the floods in the country and we are urging the government to declare the crisis a national disaster,” Mr Sifuna told journalists at the Elementaita Sentrim Lodge after a National Executive Committee meeting.
In Nairobi, the county government yesterday started to unclog drainage pipes, which have caused flooding in most parts of the city.
Governor Mike Sonko said that lack of proper drainage systems has exposed residents to danger that comes with storm water when it rains heavily.
“Today our engineers are undertaking maintenance of drainage systems along Falcon Road and my administration is also working on improvement of the systems in all other roads not only within the central business district but also across the 17 sub-counties,” said Mr Sonko yesterday.
In Homa Bay, pupils and teachers at Ogando Primary School in Lambwe West Location had difficulties accessing their institution due to the heavy rains.
Head teacher Caleb Odongo said his school has recorded a low turnout in the number of pupils since re-opening.
LEARNING MATERIALS
“The Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) centre, for example, has recorded an average of 23 pupils but it has a population of 53,” he said.
The head teacher said most parents had restrained their children from attending school due to the rains.
“We cannot be supplied with learning materials because the road leading to the school has become impassable,” he said.
Area chief Daniel Omondi said the floods are caused by excess rainwater that flows from Kanyamwa escarpment in Ndhiwa sub-county.
In Kisii South, some residents said they had been forced to seek shelter at relatives’ houses elsewhere after theirs were marooned.
Mr Peter Morara, a resident, said he lost his bedding and his children’s personal effects to floods as well as his two acres of maize crop.
And in Chitago village, a granny, 90, escaped death narrowly when her hut collapsed.
HOUSE COLLAPSED
County Disaster Chief Officer Doris Nyakang’i told the Nation she was saved by her grandchildren after the house she was sleeping in collapsed.
And in Bobasi sub-county, a family escaped death narrowly following a landslide. Their house, built at the base of a cliff, was partially affected.
Nyakang’i said the situation was worsened after River Kuja broke its banks.
Meanwhile, more than 3,000 residents in Tana River are in dire need of relief food after rains cut off roads. Residents who live in marooned areas of Waldena and Wayu have not received food supplies for about two weeks now.
FOOD RATIONS
“We last received relief food two weeks ago. We have exhausted it since it was very little,” said Mr Ibrahim Matanya, a resident of Waldena.
Governor Dhadho Godhana called on the government to increase the food rations. County Commissioner Oningo’i ole Sossio said the government had enough food but there were logistical challenges. He said helicopters that had been serving the county had been deployed to other regions.
Kenya Power said its distribution and transmission networks serving Lamu County had been affected by the rains. Consequently Gamba, Witu, Kipini, Mpeketoni, Hindi, Lapsset, Mokowe, Navy and Lamu Island had a blackout.
Reported by Magati Obebo, Barack Odour, Elisha Otieno, Collins Omulo, Vivere Nandiemo, Mercy Koskey, Stephen Odour and Ibrahim Oruko
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