The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has initiated an emergency appeal for Ksh3.12 billion to bolster the efforts of the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) in responding to the El Niño Enhanced Floods in Kenya.
Since November 2, Kenya has grappled with severe repercussions brought on by persistent heavy rainfall, resulting in the overflow of rivers and devastating floods.
The impact has been profound, leading to numerous fatalities and casualties, widespread destruction, and a pressing humanitarian crisis that demands urgent attention.
Mohamed Babiker, IFRC Head of Delegation for the Nairobi Country Cluster (covering Somalia and Kenya), emphasized the gravity of the situation.
“The El Niño floods in Kenya are a major humanitarian crisis that is affecting millions of people,” he said.
Babiker highlighted the widespread displacement, damage to homes and infrastructure, and the disruption of access to essential services caused by the floods.
KRCS has been at the forefront of the crisis response, providing emergency shelter items, conducting training for response teams, offering psychosocial support, and disseminating early warning messages to high-risk counties.
KRCS has established coordination structures at both national and county levels and actively advocated for the development of contingency plans to address the lasting impact of El Niño.
In a prior commitment, the IFRC had allocated CHF 749,939 to bolster the relief efforts of KRCS.
The Emergency Appeal aims to further support KRCS in scaling up life-saving activities, emergency response, and early recovery initiatives, focusing on key sectors such as emergency shelter, livelihoods, and basic needs; emergency health, water, and sanitation; as well as the health and nutrition of the affected populations.
Dr. Ahmed Idris, Secretary General of the Kenya Red Cross Society, underscored the urgency of the situation, stating: “We are dealing with a situation where whole villages and towns have either been submerged or marooned.”
He emphasized the critical need for immediate action to provide vital supplies such as food, clean water, and medical aid to avert a humanitarian catastrophe.
The El Niño rains are expected to persist in the coming months, further exacerbating the dire humanitarian situation in Kenya.
