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Disaster struck the Mwea region of Kirinyaga County on Wednesday night when the Thiba River burst its banks, leaving over 700 residents from three villages homeless.
The raging flood waters caused extensive damage to property, destroying crops and homes in the vast Mwea irrigation scheme.
Mwea known for its thousands of acres which house the largest irrigation scheme in Kenya, engages in the growing of the basmati 370 rice variety known locally as “pishori.”
The scheme relies heavily on the Thiba river as well the Nyamindi river as a source of its irrigation water, therefore the devastating effects of the flood have severely crippled the region.
Residents are still grappling with the shock of the flooding, which they say is the worst they have experienced in the last three decades.
“We have never seen this kind of flooding since the 1980s. Even people in their thousands have nowhere to sleep or anything to eat,” said Dominic Murungi, a resident of Thiba.
Another resident, Tony Kamau, added that they had lost all their possessions, including their homes and food, in the floods.
“We have no business, no place to sleep, and no food to eat. We appeal to the government to come to our aid as soon as possible,” said Kamau.
The Kirinyaga County Commissioner, Hussein Allasow Hussein, while speaking to the media explained that he has sought assistance from the National Irrigation Authority to desilt the river and expand the canals leading to the farmlands to help drain the floodwaters.
He also advised residents to exercise caution and relocate to higher ground to avoid further risks posed by the ongoing heavy rain.
“We urge people to be vigilant and not to panic, as this rain may continue. I advise residents to move to higher ground, such as the area near Thiba Primary and Thiba Secondary schools,” he said.