• Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua announced three interventions on Friday after chairing the National Disaster Response Technical Committee.
• Gachagua said the interventions are geared towards saving lives and averting further destruction.
Image: MINA
Interior CS Kithure Kindiki has called on Kenyans to stop driving and walking through moving water as the country faces heavy rains.
In a statement, Kindiki said by doing so they put their own lives at risk.
"As the Government upscales its interventions to mitigate the loss and damage arising from torrential rains ravaging many parts of the Country, the public is urged to stop risking their lives by driving through or walking in moving water," Kindiki said.
So far 70 people have lost their lives due to flooding, while thousands have been displaced from their homes.
His remarks come after Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua announced three interventions geared towards saving lives and averting further destruction in the wake of heavy rains and flooding.
In a dispatch to the press, Gachagua said the government has allocated funds for the construction of bridges and roads that have been destroyed by the floods to enable the movement of people and learners when schools re-open.
“The government will ensure schools affected by floods will be reopened when safety measures are in place. The schools will be handled case by case to avoid exposing learners to danger,” he said.
Gachagua further announced the government will work with the Kenya Red Cross to supply food and non-food items to people displaced by the floods.
Gachagua announced the interventions on Friday after chairing the National Disaster Response Technical Committee meeting on Enhanced Rainfall and Floods at his Karen official residence.
He urged Kenyans to be extra cautious and avoid flooded rivers stating that the government is determined to save lives and property.
Intense rainfall has affected various regions in Kenya, including the Coastal area, Central areas including Nairobi, the Western Highlands, Rift Valley, Lake Victoria Basin, South-eastern lowlands and North-eastern regions.
Since the onset of the March-April-May rains, multiple counties have felt its effects, resulting in households being affected and displaced.
In an update by the government on Friday, so far 70 people have lost their lives due to flooding.