Flooding in Mombasa not due to drainage - Governor Nassir

 

Mombasa Governor Abdullswamad Nassir has dismissed reports that the flooding being experienced in parts of the county is due to poor drainage system.

Speaking on Saturday, Nassir instead raised concern that there are parts of the county where people had constructed their homes on waterways.

"I have heard many say it is the drainage; If the problem was the drainage this whole county would be submerged," he said.

"There are some areas that the entire villages are constructed on water ways and as it rains excessively there was no way for the water hence the flooding," Nassir added.

The Governor however noted that the decision to be taken would consider a lot of factors, but dismissed any possibility of brining down the buildings set up on the waterways.

Nassir said bringing down the buildings at this moment would only make the already bad situation worse.

According to the Governor, so far more than 3,800 people have been affected by the floods with data from the county call centre showing those worst hit are Bamburi, Bombolulu and parts of Utange.

In addition, Nassir said the focus for the county in collaboration with other partners such as Red Cross and Unicef is to ensure those affected have food and temporary shelter.

The county has further directed that select health facilities operate for extended working hours to respond to any eventualities that might arise.

Unicef has already given the county water treatment tabs even as the county remained alert of a possible outbreak of water borne diseases.

"Let us not start blaming and pointing fingers too much, we have told you what the issue is," Nassir said.

"Again some of these things were build 20 to 30 years ago, there is nothing that was approved this year so let us be realistic on how we are going to approach this matter," the Governor said.

Several houses were submerged and roads rendered impassable after the floods wreaked havoc in Bamburi, Mombasa County.

This is as the rains continued to ponder the region.

At Lake View estate, for instance, the water levels reached knee-high.

On Friday, Nassir urged residents to report any tragic incident involving floods to the designated official hotlines of the county's disaster management unit.

“The rains have persisted since yesterday (Thursday) here in Mombasa.  Please reach out through the contact hotlines below for medical and rescue emergencies,” he said.

The hotlines include 0707911911 and 0788911911.

Nassir said the hotlines are for the Mombasa County Disaster Department which will help with the rescue mission   

BY THE STAR