Girl swept by floods in Kajiado as hailstones destroy crops in Kericho

In Kajiado County, the heavy rains brought tragedy to a family in Olkaria after floodwaters swept away a young girl who was heading home with her brother.

The boy survived, but the girl was swept away. Her body was found on Saturday, 24 kilometres from the point where she was carried away by the floods.

In Kericho County, the season announced itself emphatically. For three straight hours, large sections of Bureti Sub-County were covered in a thick sheet of hailstones, turning the otherwise green landscape white.

“Tumekuwa na disaster, tumekuwa na mvua kubwa ya hailstones ambayo imedestroy all the properties zetu,” said a resident of Chemosot Ward, Abraham Kirui.

The heavy downpour left destruction in its wake. Tea plantations bore the brunt of the hailstones, leaving farmers who depend on them counting their losses.

“Jana tuliona maajabu sana, mbwa ilienda, kuku zilienda, kuna hata miti ilienda, ile avocado tulipanda juzi ilienda,” added another resident, Geoffrey Kirui.

Purity Kirui on her part, said, “Ng'ombe ambayo wlikuwa wanakaa nje walinyeshewa mpaka wanatetemeka. Manyumba tulisikia hapo Barkiro ziliharibika.”

“Kufikia sasa hatujaona watu ya disaster management ya serikali ikifika hapa itusaidie.”

The weatherman says rainfall will continue at varying levels of intensity, with most counties expected to experience light to moderate showers over the coming week. The rains are projected to peak in mid-November.

Members of the public have been urged to exercise caution during the rainy season.