Floodwaters Turn Kapelebyong into a Sea of Sorrow: Hundreds Displaced

By Nathan Eyagu

KAPELEBYONG

Kapelebyong District is facing a severe crisis as relentless rainfall over the past month has led to widespread flooding, displacing hundreds of residents in the villages of Alungar, Ojojai, and Angerepo.

The floods have wreaked havoc, leaving many households in desperate situations. Crops have been destroyed, and homes have collapsed under the weight of the water, compounding the misery of the affected communities.

Mr. Otukei Moses, a resident of Alungar village, described the grim reality he and his neighbors are enduring. “All my five gardens are flooded, and all the crops have been ravaged. Our houses are collapsing,” he lamented.

Displaced families, including Moses’s own, have been forced to seek refuge in nearby school classrooms, such as those at Angerepo Primary School, or in nearby centers, each evening.

Mr. Lori William, the LC1 chairman of Alungar village, reported that over 145 households in his village alone are struggling to survive. “About 90% of the people here live in grass-thatched houses, which are easily affected by the extended rainfall,” he explained, highlighting the particular vulnerability of these homes.

The impact of the prolonged rainfall extends across the entire Kapelebyong District. Mr. Francis Akorikin, the LC5 chairman, noted that more than 1,850 households are in critical condition due to the flooding. “Fifty-four villages across 11 sub-counties in the district have been affected. Crops that were due for harvesting, such as tuber crops, are now rotting,” Akorikin stated.

The health implications are equally concerning. Jessica Apiso, the in-charge at Angerepo Health Centre, confirmed an alarming increase in malaria cases. “Our facility is registering increased malaria cases daily, likely due to the stagnant water and poor living conditions,” she said.

As the crisis escalates, the displaced residents of Kapelebyong District urgently need relief and support to help mitigate the devastating effects of this disaster.