Floods could hit 750,000 homes

About 750,000 people could be affected by floods and mudslides if the current rains persist, the UN has warned.

The UN Office for Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs says in its latest report that up to 100,000 people could be temporarily displaced by the rains. Another 150,000 refugees in camps may also need to be moved to higher ground.

Floods
Areas identified as most prone to floods include the Tana River basin, the Lagdera plains, Malindi, Magadi, West Pokot and Turkana districts and the Lake Victoria basin.

Some key roads could also be cut off by the rains. These include the Garissa-Dadaab, Wajir-El Wak-Mandera, Isiolo-Wajir and Kitale-Lodwar roads.

The Meteorological department has already warned that the country would experience enhanced rainfall until December due to the recurrence of the El Niño.

On Thursday, Mr Peter Ambenje, the deputy director in charge of forecasting services named Coast, North eastern, Eastern and Central provinces as some of the areas that had experienced intense rainfall.

Many other parts of the country are also receiving above average rains.

“The intense rainfall recorded over some the areas has significantly influenced the rainfall totals so far received in October,” Mr Ambenje said.

Officials from the National Disaster Operation secretariat said they were ready to tackle any disasters arising from the rains and asked Kenyans not to be worried.

“We shall definitely not be caught napping this time round. That’s for sure,” said the secretariat’s deputy director, Mr Joseph King’ori.

The secretariat had already embarked on a massive awareness campaign to educate the public in areas likely to be affected by either floods or landslides.

Mr King’ori also revealed that a team was dispatched to parts of Central and Eastern provinces yesterday to assess the situation following the rains.

Some of the areas they have so far visited include the Tana Delta, Budalang’i, the Kano plains, which are prone to floods; and parts of Murang’a, Othaya, Kakamega and Kerio Valley, which are likely to be affected by mudslides.

“Our message is simple; we tell them to move to safer areas, but if they refuse, we educate them on what to do in the event of these disasters,” Mr King’ori told the Nation on phone.

“Should the unfortunate events occur, we are ready to move in and evacuate those marooned, provide food and non-food items,” he said.