EDITORIAL: Curb natural disaster impact

One of the biggest casualties of the tremor that shook the country on Sunday is the extensive damage to the Maai Mahiu road — a key link to Maasai Mara Game Reserve, a key tourist destination that contributes immensely to the economy.

This is not the first time this vital highway has been severely damaged.

Heavy floods have often cut off the road several times in a year, necessitating emergency repairs. Last year, motorists had to be diverted after sections of the road were washed away by heavy floods.

Fortunately, this time, just like last year, there were no human casualties. The crucial question is whether anything could have been done to prevent the colossal damage to the road.

Granted, this is an area that is prone to this natural disaster. But that is precisely why we need expertise, experience and knowledge to mitigate the disasters.

The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has the capacity to ensure that the roads are designed to withstand such challenges.

The agency deserves kudos for its quick response whenever such incidents occur.

Lives are saved by quickly getting onto the scene and diverting traffic from disaster.

But the country expects precision and an assurance that the most crucial measures are being taken to enhance safety amid natural tragedies.

A question that arises, for example, is whether this road was designed to sustain such deadly pressure in an area found to have fault lines.

The onus, therefore, is on the KeNHA engineers to use their knowledge and expertise to protect road users against even the most devastating of natural tragedies.

Motorists driving along this road should exercise a bit more caution for their safety and that of their passengers. But with enhanced expertise, the consequences of such tragedies can be minimised.