Nairobi City County has employed comprehensive measures following the on-going crisis of rains and floods that have affected the county.
In his press statement, Yassin stated that a county task force had already been established, and that the Nairobi City County Public Health Emergency Operations Center (PHEOC) had been fully activated to ensure efficient coordination during the crisis.
“The floods situation is reported to have led to a significant displacement of households, with an estimated 20,968 households affected, impacting approximately 147,061 individuals.”
Further he stated that Nairobi City County had already put in efforts across the seven sub-counties through establishments of 16 camps. Notably, in Embakasi East, three new camps have been established to accommodate the growing needs of those affected.
He also noted that the county had prioritized water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) by providing aqua tabs for point-of-use water treatment, water quality monitoring and extensive cleaning and disinfection activities in affected areas.
“Following the Government’s directive for closure of schools until further notice, schools within Nairobi City County have also been affected. Kibra Sub County has been particularly hard hit, with seven schools reporting varying degrees of impact. These include Blessed Hope, Soweto Junior, Three Bells Academy, Raila Educational Center Primary and Secondary Schools, as well as St. Martin in Lainisaba ward and Mangoso Primary School.”
He reported that In Makadara Sub-County, St. Elizabeth Primary School stood out as severely affected, with collapsed walls and issues with snakes on the premises.
“In Dagoretti Sub-County, several schools faced challenges due to the ongoing rains. These included New Day School, Rock Community Educational Center, Huduma School, Riri School, Kabiro Primary, and Kanungaga Friends School.. The situation comes as the government has postponed the opening of schools for the second term.” He said.
He stated that the county government will continue with the efforts to restore the status of the County. The county government has began drainage, sewer and bridge repairs.
Surveillance continues with interventions including health education, search and rescue operations, camp setup, stakeholder collaboration, food and non-food item distribution, deployment of health staff to camps, and medical outreach activities done by the county as well as the key partners.
Bramwel Simiyu, the Chief Officer of Disaster Management at the Nairobi City County Government, said, “We stand firm in our commitment to stand by the families affected throughout our county. In these challenging times, I implore everyone to exercise caution and prioritize their safety and well-being as we navigate through this difficult period together. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all our partners who have joined hands with us, tirelessly working in unison to ensure the people of Nairobi are taken care of.”
Ian Okal
