Identity of woman killed on day one of Nairobi rains revealed
A woman on Tuesday lost her life after being swept away by raging flash floods following a day of heavy downpour in Nairobi.
The woman, a 23 year-old identified as Vivian Awour, was in her tin-sheet house in Silanga, in Sarang’ombe Ward, Kibra Constituency in Nairobi County area before being swept away after her house, erected near a stream in the area, was carried away by the stream after it broke its banks after the heavy downpour.
Kibra sub-County commander Michael Muchiri confirmed the death saying that the body of the woman was retrieved on Wednesday and booked in at City mortuary while her family has also been informed.
Mr Muchiri, however, allayed fears that the number of those who lost their lives might have been three after unconfirmed reports went out that the woman was swept away together with her two children.
UNVERIFIED REPORTS
“There had been some unverified reports initially that two children had also been swept by the floods but we confirmed that it was speculation. It is only the woman who lost her life,” said Mr Muchiri.
But even as the heavy rains continue to pound the capital city wreaking havoc, Nairobi County government has been caught napping with no plan in place to mitigate the effects of the expected flash floods.
Deputy Director of Disaster Management and Coordination at City Hall, Mr Brian Kisali said that the county was working with county commissioners at Nyayo House to sensitise residents on the effects of the expected rains as well as unclogging drainages across the city.
“We are working in coordination with regional commanders to sensitise people living along river banks to move away from such places to safer grounds and also unblocking the drainages,” said Mr Kisali.