Kenya: Flooding leaves over 159,000 displaced in three counties April 30 /update 6

Event

On Monday, April 30, local media reported that over 159,000 people in the Kenyan counties of Tana River, Kilifi, and Lamu have been displaced by recent flooding. Tana River county is reportedly the most severely affected, with 150,000 people displaced; some 6000 people have been displaced in Kilifi county, as well as 3000 in Lamu county. Many farms and houses in the counties have been destroyed, according to local officials. Local police have ordered the evacuations of multiple villages in Tana River county. Flooding in the Dadaab refugee camps (Garissa county) have caused the overflow of pit latrines, stoking fears of a cholera outbreak; outbreaks of water-borne diseases are possible across affected areas in the near-term. Roads in northern and central Kenya have been obstructed by flooding in recent days, including the Nairobi-Mombasa highway.

On Sunday, April 29, one person was reported to have drowned in Mandera county, and over 2000 homes affected by flooding. Three people were reported to have died in floods in Machakos and West Pokot counties on Saturday, April 28. On Friday, April 27, a landslide left at least eight people dead in Marung'a county. The counties of Narok, Laikipia, and Turkana have also notably been affected by the flooding. Additional flooding-related casualties, material damages, and localized transportation disruptions are possible in the abovementioned counties in the coming days, as further rainfall is forecast in several affected areas through Wednesday, May 2.

Context

According to the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS), heavy rainfall has prompted flooding that has left over 100 people dead since early April. Hundreds of thousands of others have been displaced since the rainy season began in early March.

Kenya typically experiences a rainy season beginning in late April and lasting until early June. The rains arrived early this year (in March); meteorologists believe that this is the result of the Madden-Julian Oscillation, an eastward-moving low-pressure system that carries clouds and rain around tropical regions over a 30- to 60-day period.

Advice

Individuals present in affected areas are advised to keep abreast of the situation, avoid areas directly hit by flooding, and adhere to any orders issued by the local authorities (e.g. evacuation orders). Remember that driving or walking through running water can be dangerous - 15 cm (6 in) of running water is enough to knock over an adult - and that floodwater may contain wastewater or chemical products; all items having come into contact with the water should be disinfected and all foodstuffs discarded. Be aware that the risk of contracting water- and mosquito-borne diseases, including malaria, chikungunya, dengue fever, yellow fever, and the Zika virus, tends to rise after periods of heavy rains; take measures to protect yourself from mosquito bites (use insect repellent, mosquito nets, etc.) and only consume purified water.