Pictures: Heavy rains leave Kirinyaga villages half-submerged in water

The rains left many homes and businesses submerged in water.

Roads in the area, and rice farms, were also submerged following the heavy downpour.

“I have never seen anything like this in my entire life in this area ever since I settled in Mwea irrigation scheme in 1972,” said Wangeci Maina from Maendeleo area.

She lost over 30 chickens and two cows in the rains. Shocked parents could be heard shouting their children’s names – looking for them in the confusion.

The rains and the ensuing floods separated mothers, fathers from their children, even dogs and livestock were separated from their owners.

The affected areas included Jamboville, Maendeleo and Soweto.

Residents of the area are blaming poor drainage for the calamity – many of them claiming that the waters were emptying into the villages from the rice farms.

The disastrous downpour also left rice farmers in the area counting huge losses after their crops were destroyed.