Some 26 families affected by mudslides and floods from Korungtung village, Kopsiro subcounty in Mt Elgon constituency have received non-food items from Red Cross.
Speaking in Mt Elgon on Saturday during the donation exercise, the county’s Red Cross chairperson Dr Ferdinand Nabiswa said over 25 families have been affected by the mudslides and floods, adding that after pre-assessment exercise done by the Red Cross officials it showed that 26 households are adversely affected.
“Before we brought this donation to affected families, a pre- assessment was carried out and the findings were that over the 26 households were the most affected,” he told the Star.
He added that the Red Cross did not have enough items to donate saying plans to source more donations were underway.
Nabiswa said the package donated contained; kitchen set, water jerrican, mat, blankets, treated mosquito nets, sleeping cots among others that can serve a family of six people.
However, he revealed that Red Cross is set to conduct a second assessment in readiness to donate items to the families that were left out in the first batch. He said Mt Elgon is a risk region when it comes to mudslides and floods.
“We are going to liaise with our Red Cross national, regional offices and other humanitarian organisations to ensure those who were left out in the first dispatch also get assisted,” Nabiswa said.
He also called on the county disaster team to move with speed and support the affected families in Mt Elgon.
The climate change expert also linked the mudslides and floods to poor environment conservation measures lauding Bungoma County Commissioner Thomas Sankei and area MP Fred Kapondi for agreeing to take a lead in tree planting exercise as it was directed by the President.
“I have also directed my Red Cross team to partner with the MP’s office to plant more trees in Mt Elgon,” he said.
Nabiswa warned residents to be cautious when crossing flooded rivers.
Kapondi said the mudslides and floods had affected over 25 families revealing that one person was carried away by the raging floods and is still missing.
The MP lauded the Red Cross for supporting the victims in his region.
To address adverse climate change effects, Kapondi rallied residents to take frontline in President William Ruto’s directive in planting trees as a strategy to fight climate change.
Additionally, Kapondi asked parents to allow learners to go back to school affirming that the NG- CDF kitty will support institutions affected by floods.
Patrick Naibei, a flood victim in Mt Elgon, said his home, animals and crops were swept away by floods.
Naibei thanked the Kenya Red Cross Bungoma branch for coming to their rescue. He called on the government to help the affected victims get an alternative place to settle.