The long rainy season, which began in March, has led to increased water levels, infrastructural damage, livestock and property losses and restricted access to roads in various regions of Kenya.
Areas of particular concern include Marsabit, Turkana, Tana River, Garissa, Kirinyaga, Muranga, Kiambu, Meru, Kisumu, Nairobi, and Kitui counties.
In Garissa County, Ijara, Masalani, Liboi, and Fafi sub-counties have been cut off, while farms along River Tana have flooded, resulting in crop losses.
An estimated 520 people have been displaced in Tana River County and are hosted at the Water Ground site and Farmers Training College-FTC in Garissa Township. Redcross had warned that the rains are likely to increase and asked people to take precautionary measures.
The National Disaster Management Unit (NDMU) said that places which haven’t received rainfall are likely to be affected by floods as water from upstream will flow downstream.
NDMU warned residents to avoid walking in moving water, open fields or sheltering under trees as precautionary measures against lightning strikes.
“Flood waters may appear in places where it has not rained heavily, especially downstream. Residents are advised to avoid driving through, or walking in moving water or open fields and not to shelter under trees and near grilled windows to minimize exposure to lightning strikes,” NDMAU stated.
The meteorological department of Kenya has issued a warning for significant rainfall expected this week, urging citizens to brace for potential floods. Consequently, the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) anticipates displacement affecting around 30,000 households across 26 high-risk counties.
The projection includes a heightened risk of drowning incidents and an increase in water and vector-borne diseases in flood and flash flood-prone areas.
The KRCS Emergency Operations Centre remains vigilant, conducting ongoing situation assessments to guide preparedness and response efforts, including search and rescue operations.
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Heavy rainfall during the night in Nairobi has led to significant property damage, with reports of flooding causing destruction to homes, infrastructure, and other assets.
“Following overnight rains, our Nairobi red cross branch has dispatched its team to carry out assessments in the following areas due to the effects of flooding; Mukuru Kwa Njenga, Fuata Nyayo, Land Mawe and Mukuru Kayaba.In Machakos, our team has also dispatched its red cross action team to 360 apartments in Syokimau following a distress call,” Kenya Redcross stated.
