Kenya Red Cross says 5 mln USD needed to assist flood victims

NAIROBI, May 4 (Xinhua) -- The Kenya Red Cross on Friday appealed for 5 million U.S. dollars to provide emergency assistance to some 150,000 Kenyans displaced by floods.

Abbas Gullet, Secretary General of Kenya Red Cross, told reporters in Nairobi that the funds will cater for food, shelter and healthcare to populations affected by flooding that has intensified against a backdrop of torrential rainfall.

"We are launching an appeal for 5 million dollars to reach 150,000 out of 260,000 people displaced by floods countrywide. The rains are higher than we had anticipated and 32 out of 47 counties are already affected by flooding," said Gullet.

He warned that communicable diseases like cholera and typhoid could erupt in low-lying counties affected by flooding due to widespread contamination of water sources.

"Our immediate areas of intervention include supply of water treatment chemicals to prevent a cholera epidemic in flooded regions," Gullet said.

He added that nutritional supplements were required to cushion flood victims from acute hunger and malnutrition

Statistics from Kenya Red Cross indicate that 112 people have so far died since mid-March when torrential rains started pounding the East African nation.

Gullet said that infrastructure worth millions of dollars has been destroyed by floods while crops and livestock have been wiped out in the semi-arid counties hence worsening food insecurity.

"We are conducting regular assessment and have discovered that supply of essential goods and services in floods affected counties has been disrupted. The displaced can hardly access health facilities while schools are a no go zone since they are submerged," Gullet told reporters.

He revealed that Kenya Red Cross has partnered with the central and county governments to scale up emergency interventions for the population affected by floods. Enditem