When the water levels at Lake Nakuru were reported to be rising in 2010, nobody seemed to give much attention to the phenomenon as developments within the park and the areas bordering it went on.

But when the disaster struck 10 years later a crisis that ensued threw both the government and the community into panic after they were caught unprepared.

In its initial stages, the water levels rose at a rate which did not cause any alarm as the levels could be tracked. However, it waited until the community was most vulnerable to manifest the full wrath of nature's fury.

It was during the Covid 19 period in 2020 when the calamity hit, exposing the governments soft underbelly in terms of disaster control and management.

The effect of the flooding was the displacement of communities, destruction of property and other infrastructures as well as loss of livelihoods.

Also Read: Feature: Lake Nakuru reclaims its space, displacing thousands in Mwariki

The roads and other infrastructure were submerged, productive lands flooded with the alkaline lake waters and fishing became the new economic activity.

The disaster had a serious bearing on the tourism industry after movement into the Lake Nakuru national park was affected. Normal lives were also disrupted after communities were displaced from their homes as human-wildlife conflict increased.

A report on the rising lake levels and the beaconing of the highest watermark at Lake Nakuru released in 2021 indicates that the KWS suffered an estimated loss of about Sh 312 million shillings from the disaster.

Staff houses belonging to KWS officers remain submerged in Lake Nakuru National Park.

Photo credit: BRET SANYA/MTAA WANGU

This includes damaged property of Sh 37 million, reconstruction at Sh 120 million and rehabilitation of infrastructure at Sh 155 million.

The report further shows that a total of 677 families were affected by the floods in Barut and Mwariki estates within Nakuru West sub county.

The phenomenon is said to be as a result of climate change and global warming which has led to increased rainfall and sedimentation.

Three years later, the levels seem to be subsiding and the land is drying up again.

The flood victims have warmed up to resume their lands after losing hope on the government's promise for compensation.

Some of the semi permanent houses built by families whose houses were submerged by the rising Lake Nakuru.

Photo credit: BRET SANYA/MTAA WANGU

Despite the risk projected in the report, the community members are ready to take their chances.

Read: Troubled waters: How families displaced by rise of Lake Nakuru devised new survival tactics

New houses are being built and fencing of the plots done by residents who want to protect their property.

However, the residents have decided to construct temporary houses on the land so as to avoid suffering huge losses like the one they suffered.

The decision by the victims to return to the lands is despite the fact that the electric fence that was damaged by the floods is yet to be repaired subjecting themselves to a risk of attack by the wild animals.

The water level which stood at the highest level of 9.2 meters in June 2021 was projected to rise to 12 meters in 2032 and 16.2 meters by 2023 based on the approximated rise of 0.7 meters per year.

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