A 35-year-old woman was killed by a crocodile on Tuesday evening while fetching water from River Yala, marking yet another fatal encounter in a region increasingly plagued by human-wildlife conflict.

The victim, identified as Lucy Adhiambo Ouma of Mago Village, was attacked at yesterday evening in the East Yimbo location of Usigu Sub-county.

According to Usigu Deputy County Commissioner Betha Onyango, the tragedy was witnessed by a passerby who raised the alarm after seeing a crocodile lunge from the shallows and drag the woman into the deep waters.

A rapid response team comprising Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) rangers, National Government Administration Officers (NGAO), and local volunteers launched a search operation.

Two hours later, they managed to retrieve Lucy’s body from the river

Confirming the incident, Mrs. Onyango cautioned residents to exercise extreme vigilance, noting that crocodiles have become more aggressive and active during the current rainy season as river levels rise.

“We are urging locals to minimize the time spent at the riverbanks,” the administrator said. “Avoid washing clothes or dishes at the water’s edge, as these activities expose you to grave danger.”

The victim’s remains have been moved to the Bondo Sub-county Hospital morgue pending a postmortem.

The attack has sparked fresh outrage among residents who say they are caught between a lack of piped water and a lethal river. Led by former Councilor John Obera Ombere, the community decried the “rampant” nature of these attacks and appealed for more than just warnings.

“You cannot warn a person away from water if they have no other source,” noted one resident.

The locals are calling for the government to provide safe water points or for KWS to translocate the predators that have made the River Yala banks a “no-go zone.”

This latest fatality follows a string of similar incidents along the river, including the death of a 25-year-old man and a Grade Six pupil in recent months, highlighting a growing crisis in Yimbo East Ward.