March 23 was world Meteorological Day, which celebrates the science of helping humanity understand and predict the weather. However, in eastern Kenya, the day came as families were mourning the deaths of lives lost to ongoing heavy rains.
Two people died after a rain-soaked wall collapsed on them, a little girl was swept away while grazing livestock, and more than 100 kilometers (60 miles) away in Baringo county, a woman and a 4-year-old child were killed after a landslide swept away their house. More than 80 people died nationwide.
At least 21 of the country’s 47 counties were affected, including the capital, Nairobi, with at least 37 fatalities.
Many more people have been forced to leave their homes. Almost 70,000 people have been displaced, according to Relief Web.
The Kenya Meteorological Department forecasted heavy localized rainfall, above 20 millimeters (0.8 inches) in 24 hours, across multiple regions, cautioning floods, landslides and poor visibility. It has continued to share more forecasts daily.
Experts attribute the heavy rains to climate change, rapid urbanization and land use change. There have also been claims of gaps in governance.
Cabinet secretary for environment, climate change and forestry (ECCF), Deborah Barasa, recently underscored the need to conserve critical ecosystems such as the Mau Forest Complex and encouraged the use of seasonal forecasts and agro-meteorological advisories to improve planning and productivity.
Festus Ng’eno, a principal secretary with ECCF, said reliable weather and climate information were critical for safeguarding lives. “Kenya continues to experience climate variability … with significant impacts such as rising lakes. … Accurate and timely forecasts are essential for effective risk management and reducing climate-related losses.”
During the recent short rainy season between October and December, landslides in Kerio Valley swept through homes and killed 39 people in the dead of night.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has been accused of inadequately preparing the city for the floods. A member of Kenya’s National Assembly, James Nyikal, while addressing the governor in a video, said the problem was identified more than a century ago. “In 1908, Sir Winston Churchill visited Nairobi, looked at it and said the city was constructed in great error … on a floodplain.” He added, “It is simply a drainage issue.”
Sakaja recently “ordered a 48-hour action plan to address worsening flooding, drainage failures and damaged roads across the city,” according to Kenyans.co.ke.
The plan includes road repairs, unclogging the drainage system and demolishing structures that stand on waterways, along rivers and on riparian land. The county also ordered some areas evacuated due to flooding risk.
At the national level, the EFCC is working with the National Disaster Operations Centre, security agencies and humanitarian organizations such as the Kenya Red Cross to respond to the disaster.
Meanwhile, secondary risks, including waterborne diseases caused by contaminated floodwaters and damaged sanitation systems, abound.
Banner image: Vehicles on March 6 partially submerged in at a flooded parking lot in Nairobi, Kenya, after days of heavy rainfall. Image courtesy of AA.com.tr.
