More than 3,000 families displaced by Tana River flooding

A prolonged flooding crisis is deepening in Tarasaa and Tana Delta sub-counties of Tana River County, where more than 3,000 families have been displaced, leaving homes submerged, livelihoods destroyed, and access to basic services severely disrupted.

The flooding, which has lasted for about a month, has submerged villages, schools, and health facilities, forcing residents to abandon their homes and seek refuge in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps. Many areas remain inaccessible by road, compelling responders to rely on boats to reach affected communities.

In Tarasaa Subcounty, villages such as Samicha, Odhole, Mwanja, and Handaraku have been completely cut off, paralysing daily economic activity. A similar situation is being experienced in Tanadelta, where rising waters have forced families off their farms and homesteads.

Education and healthcare services have also been heavily affected, with schools closed and 17 health facilities rendered non-operational. Children and patients have been among the most affected as families relocate to safer ground.

Journalists accompanying officials from the Kenya Red Cross Society witnessed widespread devastation during a monitoring exercise across the affected areas, where access remains possible only by boat due to submerged roads.

Samicha village, which borders Odhole, remains completely inaccessible, with many residents relocated to Marafa IDP camp and local learning institutions shut down due to the displacement of learners.

In Odhole, about half of residents have moved to IDP camps, contributing to a sharp decline in school attendance as children accompany their families.

The Kenya Red Cross Society has distributed non-food relief items, but says urgent needs for food and medical assistance remain critical as the crisis persists.

Anthony Muchiri, the emergency preparedness and response manager at KRC, said 3,127 families have been displaced and are currently staying in IDP camps.

According to him, 3,127 families displaced by the flood disaster are currently living in IDP camps. Speaking in Odhole, he said 17 health facilities have been marooned and were not operational, while several schools also had been marooned, and children were unable to go to school.

“As the Kenya Red Cross Society, together with the county government and other agencies, we have been able to support with emergency shelter materials to 2,700, the same number of families have also been targeted with wash materials, and a number of IDP camps set up,” he told journalists.

Muchiri added that sanitation efforts continue, including the construction of 71 latrines in coordination with the water department, as monitoring of the situation continues since April 17.

Local administrators say entire villages have been submerged. Issa Komoro, chief of Konemasa Location in Tarasaa Subcounty, described widespread displacement across the region.

“The entire Samicha village is marooned; luckily, the locals had been sensitized and moved to Marafa IDP camp, which has over 500 households who are camping there as IDPs,” he said.

He appealed for urgent food relief, noting that many families lost everything in the floods.

At Kijo Farm IDP camp in Tanadelta, camp head Omar Maro Diwayu said 113 households are sheltering there, adding that hunger remains the most urgent challenge despite non-food assistance from the Kenya Red Cross Society.

He said the floods destroyed all their crops that were about to mature, leaving them with nothing for survival.

“The problem is you can sleep inside a shelter and feel good, but if you have nothing to eat, you will never get sleep because we lost everything as a result of floods,” he said.