Lamu Residents Getting Paid To Help People Cross Flooded Roads Want Rains To Continue: "Iongozeke"

• Lamu- Garsen Highway has been rendered impassable after the Tana River filled to the brim, overtopping the road and paralysing transport activities
• This has become a blessing to youths who are helping stranded residents across over at a fee of KSh 300
• They want the rains to continue pounding so they can eke a living out of the crisis that many locals are grappling with

As floods continue to cause havoc across the country, youths in Lamu are making ends meet by helping stranded residents cross the flooded Lamu-Garsen road.

The youths, who have pitched tent on the highway said the crisis has become a source of livelihood for them.

"The waters are serving us a great deal. We have jobs now, there is a lot of work going on here. Ferrying luggage to the other end, helping people cross we are actually earning. We pray that the rains continue," he stated.

With exemptions for the sick, the youths are reaping from the students who opened school on Monday, May 13, after the official opening date was changed following a weatherman's warning of heavy rains and floods.

What happened to Lamu-Garsen Highway?

On Saturday, May 11, the Kenya National Highway Authoritiy (KeNHA). announced the temporary closure of the Garsen-Witu-Lamu (A7) Road between Gamba and Lango la Simba.

"This follows the ongoing heavy downpours experienced upstream that has resulted in the Tana River breaking its banks and subsequent overtopping of the road thus hampering transportation activities." KeNHA announced.

Other roads closed following floods

A week ago, transport activities were paralysed along Kisumu-Nairobi Highway after River Nyando burst its bank making the road impassable.

Road users using the road were advised to drive cautiously while approaching the river.

What to know about floods in Kenya

• President William Ruto announced a monthly stipend of KSh 10,000 to Nairobi residents affected by floods
• The Ministry of Education further said second-term dates will not be extended as the two weeks have no impact to the calendar
• Students in 7 counties will be forced to stay at home as floods continue to wreck in their counties as others report back