Heavy rains continued to wreak havoc in different parts, as thousands remained marooned by floods in Budalang'i.

The water levels in the flood-prone area continued to rise, precipitating a humanitarian crisis.

Bunyala South Ward councillor, Mr Aggrey Ojiambo, said the Government was yet to release relief food to the displaced.

He said the elderly and children were sleeping in the cold and there was no food to about 40, 000 victims in 10 villages.

Kenya Red Cross Society Busia co-ordinator, Mr Nicodemus Okango, said the organisation had distributed 750 tarpaulins, 1,400 blankets, 700 mosquito nets and malaria and cholera drugs.

On Friday, an aerial survey by the military and officials from the Ministry of Special Programmes, the Red Cross and National Disaster Operations Centre established that over 8,000 families are marooned in their homes.

"We shall not evacuate them. It is practically impossible," said Okango, adding that food would instead be airlifted to the victims.

He said they had identified landing sites for the helicopters.

"The families are likely to stay in camps for the next few months," said Okango.
He said the centre was running out of food and urged well-wishers to assist.
He said the Government had only 1,000 bags of maize, 1,000 bags of beans and another 1,000 bags of rice in its store, which was hardly enough.

The floods hit Budalang'i on Wednesday evening after River Nzoia burst its banks and swept away part of the southern dyke.

Elsewhere, the Government has donated 700 bags of maize to flood victims in Namanjalala, Trans-Nzoia East District.

Special Programmes minister, Mr John Munyes, made an extensive tour of the area where more than 4,000 people have been displaced by floods after River Sabwani burst its banks.

Munyes, accompanied by Cabinet colleagues Mr Musikari Kombo and Dr Noah Wekesa said the Government would supply more relief food to the victims.

Kombo donated 48 bales of maize flour, 50 bags of sugar and Sh100,000. Wekesa donated Sh50,000.

Munyes said Namanjalala was a wetland, hence not fit for human settlement.
He hinted that the Government might resettle the victims.
Kombo urged the families to move from their flooded homes to higher ground, to avoid waterborne diseases.

The minister directed the District Commissioner, Mr Seif Matata, and Kenya Red Cross co-ordinator, Mrs Violent Smith, to ensure fair distribution of the food donation.

Wekesa, who is the area MP, hailed the quick response by the Kenya Red Cross.

In Naivasha, heavy rains destroyed school property worth half a million shillings.

The rains, accompanied by strong winds, demolished part of Marula Primary School on Friday evening.

The headmaster, Mr David Mugo, said the roofs of three classrooms, part of the administration block and the store were destroyed but there were no casualties.

The school, started in 1957, caters for poor children from the nearby KCC village.

Meanwhile, hundreds of commuters were stranded in Nairobi following a downpour on Friday night.

Characteristically, matatu operators cashed in on the crisis to double fares on most routes.

There were long queues at matatu stages as commuters scrambled for the available vehicles.

Matatus heading to residential estates in Eastlands charged between Sh70 and Sh100.

Travellers to Machakos, Tala and Kangundo were hard hit, with many being forced to cancel their journeys due to the high fares.

Kangundo-bound matatus charged Sh250 up from Sh100.

The rains also caused a heavy traffic jam, and commuters and motorists spent hours on the road.

Reports by Cyrus Kinyungu, Osinde Obare, Antony Gitonga and Mutinda Mwanzia