By DANIEL NYASSY dnyassy@ke.nationmedia.com and JOHN SHILITSA jshiltsa@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Sunday, April 28 2013 at 23:30
IN SUMMARY
Victims suffer from dehydration following bouts of vomiting and diarrhoea in the Tana
Health workers put on alert in flood-prone areas
Seven people were on Sunday admitted to a Malindi hospital after contracting water-borne diseases.
Garsen County representative Masha Boru said the people started to diarrhoea and vomit at night after drinking unclean water from a Tana Delta District river.
“We had to rush the three women and four men to the hospital after their conditions worsened. They were admitted and are undergoing treatment,” Mr Boru said.
The area has experienced heavy flooding recently.
Malindi District Hospital management could not confirm the actual cause of the infection but sources said they had suffered dehydration and were vomiting.
Adequate drugs
Coast provincial director of public health Anisa Omar said last week that health workers had been put on alert to deal with any disease outbreak due to the floods.
The government had stocked adequate drugs to counter any emergency, said Dr Anisa, adding that workers had been sent to assess the situation in the flood-prone areas of Magarini in Kilifi County and Bura-Hola in Tana River County.
Mr Boru said villages most hit include Danisa, Galilee, Duni and Onyongo, all in Garsen Central division.
About 6,000 people had been displaced by the floods by on Sunday according to Tana River County Red Cross coordinator Michael Ayabi.
Mr Boru said the floods begun on Friday when the river suddenly swelled.
“Gradually the water increased and we noticed there was great danger. We mobilised the people to move to higher ground to avoid any catastrophe,” he said on phone on Sunday.
Mr Boru appealed to the government and well-wishers to come to the rescue of the residents with relief supplies.
“We are also calling on Good Samaritans to bring food, blankets, medicine, tents and other needs for the people who are homeless and desperate,” he said.
Several houses were submerged as heavy rains continued pounding the villages.
Flood waters then flow downstream to cause havoc in the lower Tana.
Several families from Matungu District in Kakamega County spent the night in the cold after their homes were submerged in water following heavy rains.
Munami and Khalava villages are worst hit with victims relocating to a church in the neighbourhood while some move in with relatives and friends. At least one house and several toilets were swept away by the raging waters.
“We fear that the problem could deteriorate if the heavy rains continue,” said Mr Gilbert Omoto one of the locals.
A bridge that links Khalava and Harambee market was covered by water leaving residents stranded.
The victims have called on Kakamega County Governor Wycliffe Oparanya to intervene and help them get food, blankets and mosquito nets.