Kisumu: A frantic search is underway at Ogal Beach in Kisumu West after a woman was attacked and dragged into Lake Victoria by a crocodile on Friday night.
According to Kenya News Agency, witnesses said the middle-aged woman had just finished cleaning a fish banda with other women when she stepped into the water to wash her gloves. 'She had just stepped into the lake to rinse her gloves when the crocodile attacked her,' said Moses Otieno, chairman of the local Beach Management Unit (BMU).
A sombre mood has engulfed the area, with residents trooping to the beach on Sunday morning to console the affected family. Otieno noted that crocodile attacks were uncommon in the area, which is typically bustling with fishermen and fish traders. 'Crocodiles usually take time to consume their victims. We are hopeful the search team will recover her body,' said Otieno.
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and local police have since joined fishermen in the search operation. The search teams are focusing on reeds along the lakeshore, where crocodiles are known to hide their prey and feed intermittently.
Environmental activist Michael Nyaguti, who heads the Magnam Environmental Network, said the crocodile had been sighted in the area before. Nyaguti, who has been vocal on human-wildlife conflicts along the shores of Lake Victoria, called for frantic efforts between the community and KWS to enhance vigilance and avert loss of lives. 'Both crocodiles and hippos pose serious risks, and people must remain alert,' he said.