Many learners neglect to report floods at their schools.
Despite the fact that more than 3.5 million students were expected to return to class yesterday, the administration ordered the closure of over 40 primary and 27 secondary schools nationwide owing to flooding-related issues.
Floods devastated tens of thousands of students, making it impossible for them to attend school because of infrastructural damage.
Nyeri County was hardest hit, with students in 12 primary schools and 16 secondary schools unable to open as a result of flooded classrooms and restrooms.
Five schools in Kisumu County were flooded by Lake Victoria’s backflow, and two primary schools in Pokot were rendered unusable by the disappearance of the bridge that connected them.
A secondary school in Kirinyaga county with a sinking toilet prolonged its opening date to later this week, while one in Nakuru county was housing internally displaced persons (IDPs) as other students went on with their studies as usual.
Roads and bridges were destroyed in some places, creating transportation issues. Kenyans’ opinions on whether it was wise to reopen schools following a previous indefinite suspension were divided.
In a message to newsrooms, the government’s spokesperson, Dr. Isaac Mwaura, guaranteed that the government is working around the clock to guarantee the safety of students who have already started their studies again.
Mwaura, however, asked parents to ensure their kids’ safety when traveling to and from school, especially between the hours of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.
In the meantime, the State Department of Public Works is inspecting the school buildings in the impacted areas to determine how the floods have affected their infrastructure and how ready they are to accommodate children.
In the statement, Mwaura stated, “National and County Multi-Agency teams are collaborating to guarantee that repairs in the impacted schools are expedited, to create a safe environment for students to resume learning.”
This occurred despite the fact that there was still flooding in several areas of the nation, and it is anticipated that low-lying, riparian, and urban areas will continue to experience floods.
According to the government, the most affected places are the Tana Delta area (affecting the Tana River, Garissa, and Lamu Counties) and Narok County, where a landslide was reported, as well as the Central region catchment area floods caused by severe rainfall.
According to Mwaura, “most parts of the country are expected to have sunny intervals throughout the coming week, with sporadic rainfall and thunderstorms in 37 Counties in the Lake Victoria Basin, Rift Valley, Central, Eastern, and Coast regions, as well as Nairobi.”
households that have moved
After another death was recorded yesterday, the number of flood-related deaths had increased to 277.
Thus far, 411, 825 individuals have been impacted by the flooding, and Nairobi County has seen 58,009 displaced households added to the total of 55,575 displaced households nationwide.
Mwaura urged Kenyans, as well as local and international partners, to continue supporting in providing search and rescue services as well as food and non-food item supplies to the affected households. She also gave her assurance that the government will continue to provide the necessary support to the affected communities.
A total of about Sh59, 783, 181 worth of agricultural crops and related businesses have been impacted in Nakuru County, while over 360 farm groups along the riverine in Kilifi County have suffered damages estimated at Sh47, 521, 750.
In addition, 774 acres of maize, beans, and other horticulture crops in Muranga County as well as four acres of tea plants in Nyeri County were impacted.
Additionally, 419 Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities in 20 Counties and 62 health facilities in 11 Counties have been damaged by the floods.
Additionally, 53 instances of cholera were reported to the Ministry of Health and the Kenya Red Cross, who worked together to perform medical outreach programs in Tana River and Marsabit Counties to control cholera and other watery illnesses.
Additionally, 30 public health experts have been sent to evaluate nutrition, clean drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities, and conduct a risk assessment of all 167 internally displaced camps. The State Department for Public Works is part of a multi-agency team that is demolishing dangerous buildings in the counties of Nairobi, Kiambu, and Kirinyaga, according to Mwaura.
For their own protection, everyone living inside the 30-Meter riparian corridor of rivers and other watercourses nationwide was told to leave.
Many learners neglect to report floods at their schools.
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