In a joint operation involving the Kenya Red Cross Society and Kenya Police, a child who was stranded in floodwaters in Katangi, Machakos County, was safely rescued on Tuesday, April 23, 2024.
The child, who had been trapped for a considerable period, was visibly shaken after the incident but was promptly taken to a nearby hospital for medical care.
The Kenya Red cross released a statement detailing the incident, which it says occurred after their relentless efforts.
“After relentless efforts and with the support of the Kenya Police, we successfully rescued a child who was stranded by floodwaters in Katangi, Machakos County,” noted Kenya Red Cross.
According to the statement the rescue mission was initiated by the humanitarian body which initially deployed a rescue boat to save the child.
However, due to the challenging conditions, the Kenya Police stepped in with a helicopter to complete the operation.
“Initially, we deployed our rescue boat for the mission, but due to unfavorable conditions, the Kenya Police provided a chopper for the rescue,” said the Kenya Red Cross.
Also Read: Mother Suffers Heavy Loss as Her Three Children Die in Lake Tragedy
Kenya Red Cross Initiatives
The Kenya Red Cross Society has been proactive in addressing the challenges posed by the March-April-May (MAM) rains, which have affected various regions in Kenya.
Due to the persistent rains several parts of the country including Nairobi have experienced severe effects including flooded households, displacements, submerged land, impacted businesses, and livestock deaths.
In response, the Kenya Red Cross Society has ensured prompt emergency responses, conducted search and rescue missions, prepositioned shelter kits, and distributed essential supplies.
They have also engaged in risk communication efforts to raise public awareness and promote preparedness.
Kenya Red Cross Head of Disaster Management’s remarks
Speaking in an interview with Citizen TV, Venant Ndhigila, Head of Disaster Operations at Red Cross revealed that there have been 35 fatalities so far directly caused by the ongoing heavy rainfall in the country.
According to Venant, the deaths recorded were a result of Kenyans disregarding warnings issued by the organization.
He explained that the humanitarian organization had issued several warnings to Kenyans urging them against walking or driving in flooded areas, but they disregarded them.
Also Read: Govt Warns of Rising Waters, Lists High Risk Areas
Venant also noted that the organization had sent 19 million messages across the country issuing warnings and advise to Kenyans as the heavy rainfall persist.
“People are disregarding all the pre-caution messages. We sent out 19 million SMSs and these were meant to caution them,”
“We are seeing people driving and walking through water and exposing themselves to danger.”
Do you want to be part of an updated community without the interruptions of unwanted messages? Click the link below and join our WhatsApp Channel!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaB3k54HltYFiQ1f2i2C
