Hundreds of families across the country displaced as floods submerge homes

Roads across Bomet and Migori counties have also been rendered impassable as floodwaters have carpeted crucial infrastructure. 

This comes even as the weatherman issued a heavy rain advisory affecting 43 counties, cautioning Kenyans to remain vigilant.

On Sunday morning, floodwaters from the rain that pounded the area for the better part of the week engulfed houses in Kapuothe village, Kisumu Central. 

"More than three hundred families have been marooned in the floodwaters, as they were unprepared for the dramatic rise in water levels on Saturday night," said Maureen Adhiambo, a resident of Kapuothe. "There's nowhere even children can sleep right now. 

Cooking is a challenge because you need firewood, and sometimes you don't have money for charcoal, and if you have money for charcoal, you have to cook outside because the house is flooded."

In Chimwabei village, Bomet County, the strong winds that accompanied Saturday's rain plunged the area into total darkness as electricity poles were knocked down. 

"My house collapsed on one side, including the toilet, and my neighbors also suffered. There's a neighboring shop and the Catholic Church that incurred losses; the wind tore off the roofs, and many people in my village were affected," explained Stephen Gibore, a resident of Litein.

Similarly, in Migori County, access to Aneko village was cut off as floodwaters destroyed the road, causing losses especially for fishmongers in the area. Jessica Achieng’, a fish vendor in Aneko, lamented, "We are not getting any business at all. 

The little money we make, we have to pay bodaboda riders to transport the fish to our customers."

"People are dying because of bilharzia, people are dying because of amphibias, and yet we are Kenyan citizens. We demand that the President takes action on this matter because we are taxpayers," emphasized Brian Ochieng’, a resident of Aneko.

The destruction comes a day after the Kenya Meteorological Department released a five-day forecast of heavy rains across 43 counties. 

The coastal area is expected to experience enhanced rainfall of up to 50 millimeters a day beginning Monday. The Kenya Red Cross has also mounted a rescue operation in Konkona, Tana River County, where floods have wreaked havoc.