Fear looms among residents of Nakuru West, as yet another fissure has developed near the Eveready roundabout.

Residents say this is as a result of the heavy rain downpour that happened on September 3, from 4pm to 7pm.

In an interview with Mtaa Wangu, Paul Githingi, a resident at Eveready notes that areas at Nakuru West are increasingly becoming unstable, noting that they are currently living in fear of what will happen next.

Paul Githinji speaks on their fear as residents on whether Nakuru West is stable enough for people to live in on September 4, 2024.

Photo credit: PURITY KINUTHIA/MTAA WANGU

“This started with 140 in Kaptembwa where homes collapsed and land caved in. Local leaders went silent on it. Now nature has brought its wrath where everyone can see, just adjacent to the Nakuru -Eldoret highway. I can’t wait to see how the county government and concerned authorities will handle this,” he says, lamenting that the government has left locals to find solutions for themselves, as far as this disaster is concerned.

The fissure which is approximately 30 meters from the highway has caused extensive damage as the sunken land has affected electric poles, prompting local authorities to request Kenya Power to disconnect power in the area near the fissure.

Kenya Power personnel disconnecting power at Eveready roundabout adjacent to where a new fissure developed on September 4, 2024.

Photo credit: PURITY KINUTHIA/MTAA WANGU

Speaking at the scene, Nakuru West Deputy County Commissioner, Omar Ali, says as an authority they will be touring the higher grounds and downstream to assess the extent of damages caused by the flash flood.

Nakuru West Deputy County Commissioner , Omar Ali (centre) at the scene where a fissure has developed at Eveready on September 4, 2024.

Photo credit: PURITY KINUTHIA/MTAA WANGU

Further, he asked the residents to report any unusual activities on the ground to their chief so that necessary precautions may be taken to save lives and property from loss and damage.

“We have numerous fault lines running through Nakuru. With the current rain going on, a lot of activities may be going on underground unknown to residents. This may result in what happened today. Let us stay vigilant,” he notes.

Residents take a glimpse of the new fissure that has developed near the Eveready round about on September 4, 2024.

Photo credit: PURITY KINUTHIA/MTAA WANGU

As residents continue to wonder on the next cause of action, what still remains unclear is whether the geology of Nakuru West is stable enough for people to live there.

Not less than two months ago, over 50 families moved out of their homes when a fissure and sink hole developed in Technology farm still in Nakuru West.

Most of the affected families relocated from 140 areas to other places.

Sylvester Ayonga, notes that it was only after the Njoro interchange was constructed that they gradually started experiencing flash floods around Eveready.

Sylvester Ayonga speaks on how flash floods have increasingly been a problem for them as residents in Everyday on September 4, 2024.

Photo credit: PURITY KINUTHIA/MTAA WANGU

He agrees that the situation has now escalated, to the extent of the water's impact causing the fissure.

Ayonga urges the county to work on drainage tunnels to try and salvage what is left.

Another fissure accompanies by a sink hole was also witnessed in Rongai about four months ago.

In a previous interview, Gilbert Obwoyere, an associate professor of landscape ecology and ecosystem health notes that the tectonic plates movement and the rampant volcanic activity is the cause for the enormous underground fissures and lose volcanic ash that is the profile of the soil in Nakuru.

New Eveready fissure leaves Nakuru West residents panic-stricken

Author Spotlight

Purity Kinuthia