Siaya County is Prepared for Emergency Disasters Occasioned by Long Rains

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Siaya County is prepared for any emergency disaster that may emerge during the on-going long rains season, the County Executive Committee member for Governance and Administration, Agunda Ochanda has said.

And Ochanda is calling on Siaya residents to form community disaster response teams that will alert each other in case of any changes to weather that warrants quick response.

He was speaking at Ratado Chief’s camp in West Ugenya location after leading a team from the county disaster preparedness secretariat in assessing the preparedness level in Alego / Usonga and Ugenya sub counties.

The CECM said the county team, under the chairmanship of Governor James Orengo and County Commissioner, Susan Waweru was committed to ensuring that no resident will lose his or her life to the flood or any disaster.

“We are fully prepared to ensure that we do not lose lives or property as a result of the disasters that may face us,” he said.

Ochanda said that as part of the preparations, the multi sectoral team that includes the Kenya Red Cross Society and several national government departments has already mapped several disaster hotspots across the county.

The director of governance and disaster management, George Aola called for close cooperation amongst people living in disaster-prone areas and stressed the need for sharing information amongst the community members and the relevant agencies.

Aola called for the formation of the community based rapid response teams that will help tackle disasters should need arise.

The chairman of the West Ugenya flood mitigation committee William Omondi said the community living in flood prone areas was ready to join forces with the county committee and the government at large to ensure that no lives are lost.

Dr Omondi said people were tired of the annual movement due to the effect of floods and would welcome any initiative that will help put a permanent solution to the floods.

—KNA