IRIN
KENYA: Floods hit thousands, including IDP camps
2 April 2008


NAIROBI, 2 April 2008 (IRIN) - At least 6,000 people have been affected 
by flooding following heavy rains in the southern coastal district of 
Taveta, the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) said.

"Three primary schools have also been closed temporarily after being 
submerged," Anthony Mwangi, the KRCS Public Relations Manager said on 1 
April. "The water levels in some areas are up to chest level."

Groups of people have been marooned, with transport services also 
affected, he said.

The hardest hit areas include the villages of Eldoro A, B, C, Ngutini 
Python Hill, Kinongo A, B, Kisogoto, Marodo, Lambu, Marigasa, Kiwalwa 
and Marisa in the Kimorigo, Mbogoni and Mahoo sub-locations of the 
district. The schools affected were Abuni, Eldoro and Notima primary 
schools.

Some pit latrines also filled up or collapsed due to the flooding, 
presenting the risk of spreading water-borne diseases. However, Mwangi 
said there had not been any reports of contamination so far.

He said KRCS was providing food and non-food items to the affected 
people and trying to assess the needs of those marooned.

"We are also conducting an assessment to determine the magnitude of the 
flooding," he added.

Meanwhile, KRCS has helped thousands of internally displaced persons 
(IDPs) affected by flooding in their camps move to higher ground.

"The flooding is a major challenge facing the IDPs but we cannot 
relocate them to different camps due to logistical issues," Mwangi said.

The camps most affected by flooding included those in Nakuru in Rift 
Valley Province and the neighbouring town of Naivasha. There are at 
least 15,718 IDPs in the Showground camp and 1,020 in the Afraha camp, 
two of the main IDP camps in Nakuru.

In the long-term, Mwangi said, the needs of the IDPs, such as 
resettlement, security, house reconstruction, the provision of farming 
implements and peace and reconciliation, would need to be addressed.

Thousands of people were displaced across the country following the 
eruption of violence over the disputed results of the December 2007 
elections.

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