El Nino: Here are the areas at high risk of flooding in Nakuru
County Secretary and Head of Public Service, Dr Samuel Mwaura.
The Nakuru County government has unveiled a raft of measures that will be put in place to ensure that the coming El Niño rains do not have a devastating impact on residents.
In an exclusive interview with Mtaa Wangu, County Secretary and Head of Public Service Dr Samuel Mwaura said the county government is working with the national government and other key stakeholders including KURA, KeNHA and KeRRA to ensure that the intervention strategies put in place are all citizen-centred.
"One of our strategies is to map and identify roads that are prone to landslides or flooding. For such roads, the process of cleaning them up and rehabilitating the drainage to ensure that rainwater has a clear path is still underway. We are also looking at providing alternative routes on various roads such as the Subukia-Nyahururu highway to ensure that people's lives and livelihoods are not affected," Dr Mwaura said.
The biggest challenge the county faces in constructing and rehabilitating the waterways is the fact that people have settled close to them, with some Nakuru residents even obstructing them.
"For your safety, if you are obstructing a storm water drain, you need to consider relocating. If you have identified blocked waterways and drains, please contact the chiefs, sub-chiefs, ward administrators or even the county directly so that we can clear them," Dr Samuel said.
The county government has also mapped and identified hotspots prone to landslides and flooding, most of which are informal settlements such as Dondori, Mwariki, Rhonda and Subukia.
For such areas, the county government is not only carrying out awareness programmes, but is also rehabilitating and constructing drainage systems and planning for desilting of various rivers in the county while looking at long term solutions.
Dr Mwaura says the county government has also liaised with the county's public works team, including NYS and KDF, to ensure there's quick physical intervention when needed.
Apart from the physical intervention, the county government is also preparing for medical intervention by stocking up on medical supplies.
"We want to assure the public that your safety as a resident of Nakuru is of utmost importance to the county government. All we are asking for is cooperation and if you have any concerns, please contact us. In the next week or so, a special El Nino freephone number will be made available. For now, Nakuru residents can contact us through the county disaster lines," Dr Mwaura said.
Also speaking on the issue, the County Executive for Roads, Transport and Public Works, Michael Karanja, noted that the county government will be closely monitoring the water levels in Lake Naivasha and Lake Nakuru.
"We don't expect the water levels to rise drastically, but as a safety measure, we are monitoring in collaboration with the Kenya Meteorological Department. If the water levels do rise, we will be able to give residents early warning or even intervene and help them relocate," said Mr Karanja.