Kirinyaga: 27-year-old man swept by floods while crossing River Thiba

Search efforts are underway for a 27-year-old man swept away by water while crossing the flooded River Thiba in Mwea West, Kirinyaga County on Sunday amid ongoing heavy rains.

Eyewitnesses told Citizen Digital that the man was crossing the river from Ngurubani town to Gakungu village when the raging waters swept him away.

Residents called on the government to finish the construction of the bridge to avoid such disasters when River Thiba floods.

More than 700 residents from three villages in Mwea have been rendered homeless after the Thiba River broke its banks on April 3.

Property of unknown value was also destroyed as flood waters raged through farmlands at the vast Mwea irrigation scheme.

Residents have described the floods as unprecedented and called for immediate humanitarian assistance as the Meteorological Department predicts sustained heavy rains for the next four days.

Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru initiated emergency disaster response measures to deal with floods and other emergencies arising from heavy rains that have hit the county.

In a statement issued Friday, Waiguru further asked people living near Thiba Dam and areas downstream to remain alert as water levels rise rapidly, heightening fears of a potential dam burst.

“I want to ask those blocking waterways to move away because our county is experiencing excess rains with Mwea being worst hit,” she said.

The flooding from ongoing rains has so far led to the death of over 83 people countrywide.