Kenya has been struck by devastating floods, claiming the lives of 76 individuals since March, as announced by the government on Saturday.
The relentless downpours, exacerbated by the El Nino weather phenomenon, have ravaged the country and its East African neighbors.
The torrential rains have caused flash floods, engulfing roads and residential areas, forcing over 130,000 people from 24,000 households to flee their homes.
Nairobi, the capital, has borne the brunt of the disaster, with 32 fatalities and nearly 17,000 households displaced.
Government spokesman Isaac Mwaura issued a warning, revealing that all five dams of the Seven Forks hydropower project along the Tana river are at full capacity, posing an imminent risk of overflow downstream within the next 24 hours. Residents in affected areas have been urged to seek higher ground for safety.
The havoc of the monsoon rains extends beyond Kenya’s borders, with Tanzania reporting at least 155 casualties from flooding and landslides.
In Burundi, approximately 96,000 people have been displaced by incessant rains, while Uganda has also experienced severe storms resulting in two deaths and displacement of several hundred villagers.
The current El Nino, characterized by intensified heat globally, has caused drought in some regions and heavy rainfall in others.
The World Meteorological Organization has identified this El Nino as one of the five strongest on record, underscoring the severity of the weather patterns affecting East Africa and the urgent need for preparedness and response measures.
