Agony as floods displace residents living around L. Turkana

Hundreds of displaced persons in villages along the Lake Turkana in Turkana County are afraid of what the future holds for them, following the surging floods in the region.

Residents of the affected communities have cried out for an urgent government’s attention to save them for imminent danger. They are in need of food and shelter following the surging water levels in the lake from river Omo.

The affected villages include Kalokol center, Daraja Beach Management Unit (BMI), Naremet and Nasechabwin villages. Those affected have been forced to camp at Daraja area.

The Kerio Valley Development Authority (KVDA) officials visited the affected area to ascertain the situation and donated foodstuffs to the affected families.

KVDA Deputy Managing Director David Biwott said that the situation is an emergency, “The situation has adversely affected their livelihoods. A huge population has migrated from the villages because of the rising water levels. The major activity in the area is fishing but now residents have moved five kilometers away after being pushed away.”

KVDA Director Francisca Ereng asked residents to move away from the lake and reside in safer hilly places. “Many people have lost their property, boats and an ECDE centre has been submerged,” she said.

She called on other stakeholders to support the affected families hence urged the County, National Governments and other donor agencies to intervene and save the situation.

A victim, Mr John Ikingol, who has migrated four times noted that businesses have been affected as there is little fish in the lake.

“We are also faced with lack of water because we don’t use water from the lake. We go far to fetch for water,” he added.

Fishermen led by Mr Epusan Ewoi cited that they have incurred lots of losses. “The risk of rising water levels has been there since March. We’ve never witnessed such a thing,” he stated.

Kalokol area Chief Mr. Daniel Namojong said that all development projects in the area have been affected.

Esther Akiru, another Kalokol resident who used to do menial jobs at the lakeside can no longer fend for her family. “We depend on fishing for our livelihoods and with these floods, I cannot provide food for my six children because fishermen cannot get to the lake to catch fish,” she said.