Tana River, KENYA: Approximately 68,000 Tana Delta residents are hunger stricken due to the prevailing drought in most parts of Tana River county.
Tana Delta deputy county commissioner Mr. Mike Kimoko told reporters that most parts of the Delta were affected by water shortage and hunger.
Mr. Kimoko said there is need for supply of relief food and clean water to the affected areas which he insisted needs to be done urgently.
The administrato head mentioned Asa, Kone and parts of Kurawa in the Delta to be most affected areas by drought.
According to Kimoko, the water shortage might be a challenge to the government and other stakeholders who take alot of effort in fighting cholera outbreak in the Delta sub county.
Deaths related to cholera outbreak have been reported severally and most frequently in Delta region in the county that is mostly believed t be caused by consumption of unclean water.
Residents normally consume water that is direct from river Tana and shallow wells.
“There is a problem of getting clean water for domestic usage for our people especially those from Asa, Kone location and Kurawa sub location or Tana Salt, residents need an urgent strategy of being supplied with relief food and clean water,” Mr. Kimoko said.
According to the county steering group CSG reports, approximately 600,000 s livestock are at risk of dying if the situation will continue to worsen.
Mr. Kimoko urged all stakeholders that, apart from the previous off-take program carried out by Kenya Red Cross of slaughtering 750 animals across the county; there should be another one that would minimize the number of livestock at risk.
Livestock influx is immensely faced in the lower parts of the county, which according to CSG reports might cause frequent conflicts between farmers and pastoralists.
