Tea plantation, bridge destroyed in El Nino rains

Tea plantation, bridge destroyed in El Nino rains

A tea plantation was destroyed as floods swept through Mathariti village in Kahuro Sub-County, Murang’a County on Tuesday night.

The destruction was witnessed even after the county and national governments reported they had put in place all necessary precautions to mitigate the effects of heavy rains.

The projected El-Niño rains that wreaked havoc in the area have left the plantation owner Njuguna Mugo a worried man since depends on tea to earn a living.

Mugo said he had secured a loan from a local bank using the tea plantation as collateral and had no other means of earning income.

He has called on the County government of Murang’a to compensate him for the destructions using the fund set aside for disaster management.

Assistant chief Isaac Mwangi who visited the family later on confirmed the incident noting that over 2,000 tea bushes had been swept away.

Mwangi said that the government is considering moving a number of families living in flood-prone areas due to the fear of landslides.

He called on residents not to move closer to the area of the incident since the soil is still loose  and may sink anytime.

Wilson Kabue, a neighbour to the affected family called on the government to assist in removing the heap of soil that was loaded on his farm as a result of the landslide.

Kabue claimed that his maize, Napier grass and arrowroot plantations had been covered by the soil.

River Bridge destroyed

Meanwhile in the same village, El Nino rains also swept away the Kayahwe River Bridge that connects Kahuro and Kangema sub-Counties.

Assistant Chief  Mwangi confirmed that the collapsing of the bridge is detrimental to the areas transport network especially when one wants to connect from one region to the other.

Charles Gathatwa, a local transporter said he now has to use a 40-kilometre road after the bridge collapsed.

Gathatwa called on the Kenya Rural Roads Authority to ensure the construction of the bridge is done so as to save transporters the burden of using a longer route.

Maina Muthoni a resident who uses the road condemned the government for delays in repairing the bridge which showed signs of collapse six months.

Speaking to a Citizen correspondent on phone, Murang’a governor Mwangi wa Iria confirmed having dispatched his team to the affected areas for assessment of damage caused.

By James Wakahiu / Written by Jemimah Gathoni

Tags:

el nino murang'a county El Nino rains

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