Kenya police issue alert on heavy rains and floods

What you need to know:

  • In the latest five-day forecast— May 19 and 23—Met director Peter Ambenje said the rains will pour in Turkana, Marsabit, Samburu, Mandera, West Pokot, Elgeyo-Marakwet, Trans-Nzoia and Uasin Gishu.

  • The heavy precipitation, according to Met, will also be experienced in Nandi, Baringo, Nakuru, Kericho, Bomet, Kakamega, Vihiga, Kisii, Nyamira, Laikipia, Nyandarua, Kiambu, Muranga and Nyeri.

Police have called on Kenyans to be on high alert following the weatherman’s warning of heavy rainfall this week.

The National Police Service’s call comes a day after Met warned that rainfall of more than 50mm would pound parts of Rift Valley, western, northern and central Kenya.

FORECAST

In the latest five-day forecast— May 19 and 23—Met director Peter Ambenje said the rains will pour in Turkana, Marsabit, Samburu, Mandera, West Pokot, Elgeyo-Marakwet, Trans-Nzoia and Uasin Gishu.

The heavy precipitation, according to Met, will also be experienced in Nandi, Baringo, Nakuru, Kericho, Bomet, Kakamega, Vihiga, Kisii, Nyamira, Laikipia, Nyandarua, Kiambu, Muranga and Nyeri counties.

Mr Ambenje warned that flooding is likely to continue over low-lying and poorly drained areas that have been receiving heavy rainfall and cautioned of a possibility of landslides.

Concerned, the National Police Service, in a series of tweets, on Monday asked residents of the affected areas to take precautions.

“Affected residents are cautioned against sheltering under trees and near grilled windows or walking in open fields as this exposes one to risks of lightning strikes,” police tweeted.

“Equally, residents in landslide-prone areas in Murang’a County are advised to be on high alert”.

The forecast also indicates that Turkana, West Pokot and Samburu counties will experience morning rains and afternoon showers.

SHOWERS

Nairobi, Nyandarua, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Murang'a, Kiambu, Meru, Embu, and Tharaka-Nithi counties will experience cloudy mornings with possibility of rains over few places, giving way to sunny intervals while showers will be experienced over several places in the afternoon.

The Coastal strip— covering Mombasa, Tana River, Kilifi, Lamu and Kwale counties— will experience morning and early afternoon showers over few places.

Siaya, Kisumu, Homa Bay and Migori counties will experience rains over few places in the morning, giving way to showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon.

The same weather pattern will be experienced in Kisii, Nyamira, Trans Nzoia, Baringo, Uasin Gishu, Elgeyo-Marakwet, Nandi, Laikipia, Nakuru, Narok, Kajiado, Kericho, Bomet, Kakamega, Vihiga, Bungoma and Busia counties.

Marsabit, Mandera, Wajir, Garissa and Isiolo will have rains over few places in the morning, with the possibility of showers in the afternoon.

Other counties such as Kitui, Makueni, Machakos and Taita Taveta counties will record mainly sunny intervals during the day, with the possibility of showers in the evening.

170 DEAD

The Met and police warnings come as Kenya reels under the floods burden.

Since the onset of heavy rains in early March, data from the Kenya Red Cross Society reveal that more than 170 lives have been lost and hundreds of thousands of people rendered homeless. 

The flooding has also led to the destruction of property worth millions of shillings, including roads, buildings, livestock and crops.

In some parts of the country, transport has been disrupted as floodwaters have rendered most roads impassable.

Additionally, more than 200 schools have been closed after floodwaters marooned and submerged classes.

Kenya Red Cross recently warned that the flooding could worsen cholera outbreak that has been reported in parts of the capital Nairobi, Kiambu and Tana River counties.