Loiyangalani residents lose houses and cattle after heavy downpour

A disaster that was waiting to happen once the annual rainfall pours in Marsabit has started manifesting in great scale.

A day’s rain has already caused unimaginable loss to the residents of Loiyangalani, and the residents are yet to heal from the scars of the dry spell.

The few cattle they managed to salvage were swept away by flash floods. This adds salt to an existing wound of the rising level of Lake Turkana, which has displaced many.

Transport and communication in the area have also been cut off, and there are fears that Lake Turkana water levels may rise higher, if the heavy rain continues in the coming days.

The rain also destroyed homes, as the floods submerged others. In one of the homes, the owner couldn’t salvage anything except for his life. He represents tens of residents who were affected by the floods.

According to a community mobiliser, 20 households lost their income, houses, and cattle. There is fear of spread of malnutrition, waterborne diseases, and respiratory disease as there is no access to food, clean water, and heavy wind and cold nights following the heavy rains.

Though no deaths have been reported yet, the fear of fatalities is on the horizon as more rain is expected as predicted by the Kenya Meteorological Department.

“Business here is down; transportation of various basic commodities was cut off after roads were flooded and cut off. Getting flesh groceries has become an activity of looking for a needle in a haystack,” a resident said.

The problem has been worsened by the historical marginalization of the communities living in Loiyangalani, especially the indigenous communities.

The climate change being a catalyst for the unpredictable, heavy, and prolonged raining period in regions that wasn’t marked dangerous also contributed to the woes.

The Kenya Meteorological Department has predicted more rain in the coming days, with the northern region expected to receive rainfall of up to 11–20 mm per day.