The Kenya Red Cross Society has deployed four speed-boats to distribute humanitarian aid to thousands of flood victims in Tanadelta, Tana River County.
The floods have affected more than 38,000 families and displaced over 10,500 individuals. The speed-boats are delivering non-food items, such as blankets, tents, mosquito nets, kitchen sets, soap, and water buckets, to villages in Mwina location in Garsen North.
Initially, the relief aid is transported by trucks to Maziwa village on the banks of the Tana River, where it is then loaded onto the boats.
On Thursday, the team visited Sailoni, and on Friday, it provided aid to families in Kulesa village. However, access to these cut-off villages is challenging due to blocked channels and thorny bushes, compounded by the closure of two key roads, Gambal Lamu Road and Madogo Road.
The journey has not been without difficulties. One of the boats carrying journalists lost direction after missing a turn, while another boat with Red Cross volunteers had to spend the night at Wema village after failing to find its way back after dusk.
Mohamed Rajab, the Coast regional programs coordinator for the Kenya Red Cross, emphasized the urgent need to deliver the relief items promptly.
“Kenya Red Cross has distributed non-food items to 1,600 families and given relief food items to 3,000 families. So far, we have 88 camps in Tana River county and we are trying to do hygiene promotion,” he said.
Mwina location chief Martha Wilfred appealed for more food and health services.
She said Benderani and Mikamini sublocations were completely cut off and cannot get essential services.
“It has been a month now since more than 1,500 households were displaced and and farms destroyed,” Wilfred said.
She expressed gratitude to the Kenya Red Cross Society for distributing relief items and food in the location. Recently, a woman had to give birth on the road due to the lack of access to a health center. Mary Gabriel, a flood victim at Kikomo camp and a disaster committee member, noted that the situation is worse, with water levels higher than previous floods.
“We thank the Kenya Red Cross and other organizations for helping us with tents, kitchen sets, and other items, but we are also appealing for health services to assist expectant mothers,” she said. Meanwhile, Hassan Mohamed, a resident of Mwina location, lost his house and four cows to the floods and had to relocate to Guba, which is on higher ground.
“We are appealing for water treatment products because the water we are drinking is not safe. We also need drugs and food,” Mohamed said.
Mohaka Gardale, a resident of Adadi village lost his house, chicken and goats.
“We lost everything, life has become very tough now,” she said.
Farhia Rashid said she lost everything including her national identity card.
Joseph Babo, a flood victim from Sailoni village, said communication has been cut off.He said all their crops were destroyed.
“Red cross is distributing non food items but we urgently need food. The government should also bring relief food as all the crops we planted were destroyed by floods.
