In an official statement on Tuesday, Government Spokesperson Dr. Isaac Mwaura revealed that the death toll from the persistent El Nino rains has climbed to 160, with six additional casualties reported.
The affected areas include Kilifi, Taita Taveta, Narok, and Homa Bay.
Dr. Mwaura disclosed that a staggering 529,120 individuals from 105,824 households have been forced to evacuate, leading the government to establish nine new camps in Tana River, Migori, Homa Bay, and Voi to accommodate the displaced population.
Highlighting the weather forecast, Dr. Mwaura emphasized ongoing rainfall in specific regions, including the Central Highlands, Western Kenya, Lake Victoria Basin, South-Eastern lowlands, and the Coast.
Conversely, dry conditions are expected in North-Eastern and North-Western Kenya, except for Garissa, where occasional rainfall is anticipated.
The adverse weather conditions have taken a toll on infrastructure, causing multiple roads to become impassable and disrupting transportation and relief efforts.
Notably, areas such as Ambalo, Laaqi, and Badan Rero in Sololo sub-county, Marsabit County, are completely cut off.
School infrastructure in 17 counties has also been severely impacted by heavy floods.
The damages include 36 submerged schools, 31 rendered inaccessible, 5 hosting displaced persons, 28 lacking learning materials due to destruction, and 16 reporting contaminated water sources.
Dr. Mwaura highlighted a Cholera outbreak in Lamu County, resulting in three deaths out of 105 reported cases.
Efforts are underway to distribute essential supplies, including food and non-food items, to affected areas through road transport, airlifts, and airdrops.
Evacuation operations, involving Kenya Navy Boats and Kenya Coast Guard Services under the ‘Dhibiti Mafuriko’ operation, are ongoing.
In closing, Dr. Mwaura urged citizens to remain vigilant, follow safety guidelines, and stay informed about weather alerts, especially in flood-prone regions.
