Kenya Ramps Up Aid Delivery Amid Rising Flood Death Toll
Nairobi – The Kenyan government is intensifying efforts to provide aid to regions affected by severe flooding, with the death toll currently standing at 168. In the past 24 hours, three additional fatalities were reported in Tharaka Nithi, Nandi, and Migori counties.
According to Kenya News Agency, during a media briefing on El Niño Emergency and Disaster Response, the country’s southern half, including the Lake Victoria Basin, Central Highlands, South Eastern Rift Valley, Coastal Strip, and Western Kenya, is expected to experience continued rainfall from December 9 to 15. He noted that isolated storms and intense rainfall are forecast for Western Kenya and the South Rift from December 10, while Northern Kenya will remain sunny and dry.
Mwaura emphasized the importance of heeding flood and weather alerts to avoid further fatalities and injuries. He highlighted the ongoing Tana River flooding, which is affecting surrounding areas and disrupting movement along the Garsen-Lamu road. Currently, 109,033 households, or approximately 545,515 individuals, are displaced.
The government, through various agencies, is working to repair damaged roads once the waters recede. Notable progress includes the restoration of the Mogodashe – Habaswein road, previously blocked by a convoy of trucks, and the making of roads such as Isiolo – Garbatulla, Modogashe-Wajir, and Hola – Garsen passable. In areas with submerged roads, the Kenya Navy and Kenya Coast Guard Services are ferrying passengers across inaccessible sections, like the cut-off Lamu-Witu Road at Gamba in the Lango la Simba area.
On health matters, Mwaura stated that the cholera outbreak in Lamu County is under control, with only 2 active cases out of 115 reported. The Ministry of Health has provided cholera kits and increased water and sanitation support, including deploying water bowsers to supply clean water to Lamu residents.
To support medical needs, the Kenya Medical Supplies Association (KEMSA) has dispatched 164 tonnes of medical supplies to affected counties, with an additional 11 tonnes earmarked for Turkana County. The Emergency Response team is utilizing dry conditions in Northern Kenya to distribute relief items to Wajir and Mandera Counties, with 24 trucks carrying food and medical supplies headed for Isiolo.
Collaboration efforts have also seen the delivery of 8.25 tonnes of relief supplies by boat to Buyani and Marara villages, involving the Kenya Coast Guards, Earth Lungs, Lower Tana Conservancy, and Chara Community Forest Association. Esteemed partners like the World Food Program (WFP), Plan International, World Vision Kenya, Save the Children, and NDMA-HSNP are contributing through donations and direct fund transfers to affected households.
Mwaura urged Kenyans to remain vigilant and take precautions as the Meteorological Department forecasts more intense rains from mid-December, advising residents in flood-prone areas to move to higher ground.