An expectant woman and her three children were washed away by floods in Mwatate, Taita Taveta, while they were asleep at night on April 2.
Confirming the incident on Monday, April 3, Mwatete assistant commissioner Margaret Mwaniki stated that the woman, who was seven months pregnant, had locked herself in the house with her children that night.
The commissioner noted that residents had reported to the authorities that the woman had been earlier warned of the floods and asked to move to higher grounds after the long rains but she stayed behind.
In addition, Mwaniki noted that the family was living next to a valley where a lake had dried up because of persistent drought.
“She lived next to a valley. When it started raining, the neighbours moved from their houses but she went back to hers with her children and locked herself in the house.
“The water swept her away and her children while they were in the house,” Mwaniki stated.
In tears, the father of the woman stated that he received a phone call on Monday, April 3, and was informed that his daughter’s house had been swept away by the floods.
Police officers at the scene confirmed that the body of one of the children, a 6-year-old boy, had been found and the search for the rest of the family was ongoing.
The government, through the local chiefs and their assistants, began relocating families living in flood-prone areas to safe areas to avert deaths and destruction of property.
"We do not want to lose any more lives or property as a result of floods. Those living in risky areas should take precautionary measures and move to higher ground," the commissioner added.
In recent days, hundreds of Kenyans have been displaced by floods across the country because of the heavy rains and storms experienced.
Flash flood cases were recorded in Gilgil in Nakuru, Taita Taveta, Narok, Garissa, Nyando in Kisumu County and West pokot.
