Thousands of Kenyan homes flooded

By Noel Mwakugu BBC reporter in eastern Kenya

At least 30,000 people have abandoned their homes in Kenya after the River Tana burst its banks.

Following heavy rains in the past month, villages up to seven kilometres from the country's largest river were washed away in the Coast Province.

The displaced people are now starving and are threatened with disease as rains threaten to disrupt the relief supplies distribution exercise currently in place.

People now fear for their lives

Old man

Accompanied by officials from non governmental organisations and other interested parties, we took a boat ride in an attempt to reach the submerged villages but we were forced to return mid-stream as the water flow threatened to turn violent.

We could, however, see desperate men and women flashing bright pieces of cloth beckoning us to go and rescue them from their water-surrounded villages.

By Thursday, government officials put the total figure of those displaced to be 30,000, with the latest village of about 700 people being submerged just an hour before I arrived in the area.

Crocodiles and mosquitoes

One old man was lucky to make it to dry land, leaving his neighbours behind with no food.

He told me that mosquitoes were wreaking havoc and that even the crocodiles that infest the river have unleashed terror, snatching away a calf from a boat that was transporting it to safety.

"People now fear for their lives," said the old man.

The area district officer Allan Macharia, admitted that it is difficult to get to the displaced families and they were now looking for boats to move the stranded families to safety.

Helicopters

He said that some of the victims of the floods have reportedly contracted malaria and various skin diseases.

After waiting for two weeks, trucks from the International Red cross society roared into Mnazini village on Thursday afternoon, after battling their way along the muddy road for hours.

The residents here are now asking the government to send helicopters to their rescue.

They say they are confident the authorities will hear their plea because their aircraft ferry cabinet ministers around even when there no emergencies.