Flood fury leaves trail of destruction in Mwea West
By Bancy Lole, April 27, 2026A night of heavy downpour has turned vast stretches of Mwea West Sub-County into a scene of devastation, displacing families, destroying livelihoods, and leaving entire villages cut off.
The heavy downpour that pounded Mutithi and Thiba divisions on the night of April 25, 2026, unleashed raging floodwaters that swallowed homes and farmlands in Labour Village and Ng’othi, forcing terrified residents to flee in darkness as water levels rose with alarming speed.
By dawn, the scale of destruction was painfully clear.
Homes lay in ruins, some flattened, others half-submerged. Farms that once promised harvests now sit drowned under murky water.
Goats and chickens were swept away, while others were found lifeless, carried by the force of the floods.
“We have lost everything,” said Christopher Mwangi, a resident of Ng’othi village. “Our houses are gone, our crops are destroyed, and even the animals we depended on have been washed away. We don’t know where to begin again.”
In Jambo Vile and Kirima villages in Thiba, families spent the night stranded, watching helplessly as floodwaters tore through their homes.
In Mutithi’s Ng’othi and Labour villages, the situation was equally dire, while Gotomboya, Kimuri, and Kiandegwa in Wamumu, alongside Gatuiri Village in Ciagini, reported widespread damage.
Wambui Thiga, a mother of three from Labour Village, said she only managed to rescue her children and nothing else.
“We ran with nothing but the clothes we were wearing. The water came too fast. Within minutes, it had entered the house. We barely made it out alive,” said Wambui.
Rescue efforts severely hampered
Rescue efforts have been severely hampered by destroyed infrastructure, with key roads rendered impassable.
Emergency teams are struggling to reach some of the worst-hit areas, leaving many families stranded without food, shelter, or medical assistance.
Confirming the incident, Kirinyaga County Commissioner Hussain Allasow said the government has moved in to respond, working jointly with the National Irrigation Authority and the county government to unblock clogged drainage systems.
“We are doing everything possible to restore drainage and allow water to flow out,” said Allasow. “However, the damage is extensive, and several roads have been destroyed, making rescue operations extremely difficult.”
Allasow urged residents in low-lying and affected areas to prioritise their safety.
“We are calling on all residents in vulnerable zones to move to safer grounds immediately. Protecting lives is our top priority,” he emphasised.
As assessments continue, fears are growing of a deepening humanitarian crisis, with displaced families in urgent need of food, clean water, and shelter.
Authorities now face mounting pressure to not only respond to the current crisis but also to find lasting solutions to the recurring floods that continue to haunt the region.