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Fresh Wave of Flooding Displaces Thousands in Trans Nzoia
Trans Nzoia County is grappling with a fresh humanitarian crisis after relentless heavy rains triggered severe flooding, displacing thousands of residents and submerging vast agricultural lands. The rising waters have swamped homes, destroyed crops, and cut off major roads, leaving many families stranded and in urgent need of assistance. Local authorities have declared the situation a disaster, with the county’s emergency services working to evacuate those in the most vulnerable, low-lying areas.
The devastation has been particularly acute in areas bordering the Nzoia River, which has burst its banks, washing away everything in its path. Vital infrastructure has not been spared, with sections of the Kitale-Endebess-Bokora road rendered impassable, severely disrupting transport and commerce. Beyond the immediate threat to human life, the floods have inflicted a heavy blow on the region’s agricultural backbone, with thousands of acres of maize and other staple crops destroyed just before harvest, raising fears of food shortages and economic hardship in the coming months.
In response to the escalating crisis, county disaster management teams, in collaboration with the Kenya Red Cross, have initiated rescue operations and are working to establish temporary shelters for the displaced. The government is urging residents in flood-prone zones to relocate to higher ground and heed early warning advisories. As the rains continue, the focus for both national and county governments is shifting to the daunting task of providing immediate relief—including food, clean water, and medicine—while also assessing the long-term recovery needs for one of Kenya’s vital food baskets.