Lamu,KENYA:The number of flood victims in Lamu county has risen to 4,362 in the last one week,the Red Cross has reported.
Last week,the number was at 3000.
According to a recent report by the Red Cross Lamu,the worst affected areas are Witu and Mpeketoni divisions in Lamu West.
Basuba and Kiunga wards in Lamu East have also been affected by the floods.
Speaking on Friday,Lamu Red Cross coordinator Kauthar Alwy said the number was more likely to rise since other affected villages have not yet been included in their latest report.
She said some of the villages like Basuba, Mangai, Madina, Pandanguo, Bar’goni, Boko, Mkunumbi and Kitumbini are inaccessible due to the floods and as such haven’t been reached by officers who were compiling the report.
She said the latest report only covers Chalaluma, Moa, Dide Waride, Jericho, Pangani, Amkeni and Pandanguo villages which were also the initial victims of the floods.
“Up to now we have only registered 751 families which come to a total of 4,362 individual persons.The number will definitely go up since there are more than ten other affected villages that we are yet to reach because they have been rendered inaccessible by the floods,”said Kauthar.
The Red Cross Lamu has also launched a campaign to encourage all flood victims to practice utmost hygiene in order to avert disease outbreaks related to dirty water use or presence.
Lamu deputy county commissioner Loius Rono said they are coordinating with the Red Cross to ensure all affected villages are reached and victims assisted.
Rono said all villages that cant be accessed by road will be reached by choppers to distribute food and other aid.
“Villages like Basuba, Mangai, Bodhei, Madina and Pandanguo can’t be reached by road.We shall have to use helicopters to send them relief food and other aid,”said Rono.
Learning in affected areas has been paralyzed as school are either submerged or marooned by flood waters making them inaccessible to learners.
