PLANS TO CONTAIN EL NINO RAINS UNDERWAY

Oct 13, 2015 Editor Kisumu News Kisumu, National, News, Regional 0

Nyando Residents taking all measures to take their belongings to the higher grounds

A past photo of Kisumu County Governor Jack Ranguma assisting during floods

By Anyanga Domnic

Stakeholders in Nyando Sub-County are racing against time in a bid to put in place adequate intervention ahead of the much anticipated El Nino rains which weather men have predicted to start early this month.

Led by Nyando Deputy County Commissioner, Mr. Joseph Satia and the stakeholders drawn from across the board in the Nyando Sub-County are working fast to establish a coordinated response framework which will mitigate the destruction expected to come with the El Nino rains.

Addressing a disaster committee, the DCC appealed to relevant departments in both the Kisumu County and the National Government to work as a team while implementing the various programs intended to avert disasters during the El Nino rains.

We call upon all people who are involved to help during the El Nino to come together so that we can work as a team to fight a common goal, said Nyando Deputy County Commissioner Joseph Satia

He further drew attention to the relevant sections in the 4th schedule of the constitution that vests the mandate to protect life and property of the citizenry against various forms of disaster on both the National and County Governments.

Representing the County Government, Muhoroni Sub County Administrator, Victor Orayo pledged the commitment by the Kisumu County Government to work closely with the National Government to ensure that everything is one to cushion residents from suffering during El Nino rains where possible.

And to clear doubts whether El Nino will actually occur, Mr. Joseph Awuonda, an officer from the Kisumu meteorological department, addressed the meeting and presented the latest forecast affirming earlier fears about the Elnieno rains.

Awuonda disclosed that latest forecast predicts that the rains should start early this month and get more intense in November and December but are expected to subside come early January.

We expect these rains to start early this month and as you see the clouds have form very heavy and come November and December it will be very intense which we expect to spill over to month of January, said Mr. Joseph Owuonda from the Meteorological Department in Kisumu.

In light of this, several technical teams drawn from across the sectors among them water, security health, roads, education and Agriculture have been on the ground in Nyando and Muhoroni Sub-Counties to assess and quantify appropriate intervention measures which are needed.

Nyando is among the 25 El Nino hotpots that have been mapped across the country with the disaster response teams working in the area tasked to come up with a comprehensive pre and post El Nino response plan for the affected areas.

The response teams have so far earmarked cites requiring infrastructural work including unclogging of streams, drainage construction of culverts and canals. The teams have also mapped 17 hot spot and 6 rescue centers in Nyando and Muhoroni Sub-Counties respectively.

A section of stakeholders expressed their sentiments during the meeting wants the County and National Governments to find a sustainable solution to the Nyando flooding crisis.

Nyando has receive in kind KES. 601 million to counter the effects of El Nino for Kisumu county and with the clock fast ticking by, residents are following with an abated breath on the final outplay to the ongoing rush to outsmart the El Nino rains.