Three injured, property destroyed as rains wreak havoc
By People Team, April 17, 2020
Alvin Mwangi, Oliver Musembi and Rebecca Wangari
The ongoing heavy rains have wreaked havoc in various parts of the country, destroying property.
In Nairobi, three people sustained injuries when a wall near the Hungary Embassy on James Gichuru caved in following heavy rains on Wednesday evening.
Duncan Musienga, Caleb Oyukwa and Kennedy Angatia were taken to Kenyatta National Hospital where they were treated for minor injuries and discharged.
At Muthangari Police Station in the same locality, four vehicles were damaged after a tree fell them.
And last evening, Meteorological Department warned of possible floods in several parts of the country, with the heavy rainfall expected to continue into the weekend and the better part of early next week.
In Kiambu county, operations at the Ruiru Law Courts were disrupted and a road leading to Ruiru town cut off after a nearby Mukuyu River burst its banks following heavy rains.
The courtrooms were inaccessible, with the water from the river flooding the compound after an overnight downpour.
The Ruiru-Kwa Maiko road was also cut off, leaving suppliers of farm produce and boda boda operators stranded for hours.
Area MP Simon King’ara blamed a Chinese contractor for the mess after creating a makeshift diversion bridge that could not hold the raging flood waters.
“I do not understand why the contractor has left the road in that condition when construction of the main bridge was completed over four months ago,” he said.
Deputy county commissioner Geoffrey Kithinji warned motorists and other road users to be cautious while using that section.
Meanwhile in Murang’a, the Met Department warned that the heavy rains are likely to trigger landslides.
County director for meteorology Paul Murage said most parts are expected to receive more than 1,000 milliliters of rain during this season and urged residents of landslide-prone areas to move to safer grounds.
He said three landslides had already been reported in Kiharu sub-county.
“This marks the beginning of a destruction trail…People should be on the look out for any cracks on the ground or water coming from underground as these are common signs of landslides” he said.