PH
A 32-year-old man is nursing serious injuries after he was attacked by a hippopotamus on the shores of Lake Victoria in Gwassi, Suba Sub-County.
Confirming the incident, Homa Bay County Police Commander, John Omusanga said the man identified as Royan Oloo was attacked in Rasira beach where he had gone to wash clothes.
Omusanga told the press that the hippo pounced on Oloo and trampled on him causing him multiple fractures on his right leg and left hand.
“Oloo was busy washing when he was suddenly attacked by the vicious hippo which had just calved and was protective of her young one,” Omusanga said.
He said Oloo raised the alarm and by the time area residents responded, he had suffered critical injuries.
The police boss told residents to keep vigil against hippo attacks which he noted was on the increase in the area.
“It is barely a week since a 10 year old boy was killed by a hippo in Wayando, Rusinga Island. We are appealing to the locals to be careful while using the lake,” Omusanga said.
KWS Southern Nyanza Region Senior Warden, Mary Mayande urged the residents to desist from settling and farming on the riparian areas to avoid conflict with the hippos.
“We also advice the locals to caution their children against swimming in the lake waters to curb attacks from hippos and crocodiles,” she said.
