Almost 200 dead in Kenya floods - heavy rain causes damage in Tanzania and neighbouring countries
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At least 179 people, including 15 children, have lost their lives in devastating floods triggered by heavy rains in Kenya.
Government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura announced the updated death toll on Wednesday, as reported by Africa News.
April saw the peak of the ongoing March-April-May (MAM) long rains, except for the Coastal region where the rains are anticipated to peak in May.
The deluge and subsequent flooding have displaced 195,011 people, prompting the government to provide shelter to flood survivors in schools or establish displacement camps.
The government stresses its already existent directive for residents in flood-prone areas, identified as fragile ecosystems, to vacate within the previously issued 48-hour notice.
Response efforts, including the involvement of the Kenya Defence Forces in recovery and evacuation operations, have been intensified.
The distribution of essential supplies continues nationwide.
Illustration Credits:
Cover photo above: This pair of images, acquired by the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on NASA’s Terra satellite, provides a wider view of flooding in the Rufiji River Basin. The images are false color to emphasize the presence of water. A wide network of channels fanning out into the delta is present in April 2024, while the landscape appears dry in April 2023. https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/152754/destructive-floods-afflict-tanz…;
Photo below: Flooding in an African village. Photo by the African emergency services.
The Secretary General of the Kenya Red Cross, Ahmed Idris, expressed that Kenya, Tanzania, and other African nations are disproportionately affected by climate-related extreme weather events, such as the intense rainfall leading to deadly floods in recent weeks, reports ClimateCentre.org.
Speaking to Sky News, he noted that heavy rain during the local long-rains season is not uncommon, but the recent surge in intensity has resulted in widespread flooding.
Mr. Idris emphasized that after two decades of climate change, the wet seasons are expected to become wetter while the dry and hot seasons will become hotter.
As of Sunday, over 19,000 Kenyan households have been displaced, with Tana River County being the hardest hit. The Kenya Red Cross has undertaken various relief efforts, including rescuing 450 individuals, distributing nearly 3,000 emergency shelter kits, and sending out 35 million early-warning text messages.
Hawa Ibrahim, a resident of Tana River, shared her experience of fleeing rising waters with her children after days of intense rainfall. Many displaced individuals are now sheltering in makeshift camps without basic facilities or clean water.
In one tragic incident near Mai Mahiu town, scores of people lost their lives when a culvert under a railway line became blocked by debris, leading to a flash flood.
KRC Emergency Response Manager Anthony Muchiri described the situation as the worst he has encountered in his career, with houses' foundations swept away by the sudden torrent.
The ICRC Nairobi regional delegation extended its condolences to the affected communities, while IFRC Secretary General Jagan Chapagain emphasized the urgent need for humanitarian assistance in Kenya.
Climate scientists have long warned of increased heavy rainfall due to climate change. The IFRC's emergency appeal for flood response in Kenya seeks 18 million CHF but is currently only 16 percent covered.
The ongoing floods exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in Kenya, which has recently emerged from the worst drought in four decades, leaving millions hungry. The situation underscores the climate change challenges faced by Kenya and other countries in the Horn of Africa.