Northern, Coast regions bear the brunt as El Nino rains leave trail of deaths, destruction

The Northern and Coastal regions have borne the brunt of the devastating El Nino rains that continue to wreak havoc leaving behind a trail of death and destruction across Kenya.

There are fears that those killed countrywide by the floods are over 60, a worrying rise from the 46 already declared by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki just a week ago on 13 November 2023.

The Kenya Red Cross Society puts the number of those displaced by raging floods at more than 80,000.

Michael Ayabei, Kenya Red Cross Head of Disaster Management, warned that the situation is worsening as the rains continue, with the country's Meteorological Department predicting rainfall to persist until January.

On Sunday, Coast Regional Commissioner Rhodah Onyancha confirmed at least 10 people were killed in torrential rains that pounded Mombasa, Tana River, Kwale and Kilifi counties since last Friday.

Among the dead included two Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) officials who were swept away by floods at the Ramisi Bridge in Lungalunga, Kwale County on Friday.

According to Kwale County Commissioner Michael Meru, the two bodies were found on Sunday morning along with another one said to be that of a boda boda rider who drowned at the same spot.

A Form 4 candidate at Kajembe Secondary School in Mikindani also lost her life after she stepped on a live electricity wire in Bangladesh slum near her home.

Onyancha said that more than 10,000 households have also been affected by the floods.

Pedestrians try to pass a flooded street following heavy rains at Kiembeni district in Mombasa on 17 November 2023. (Photo by STRINGER / AFP)

In Tana River alone, more than 5,000 families have been evacuated after River Tana burst its banks.

Onyancha said they had launched an operation to move the thousands of residents living along River Tana, which has continued to swell, to higher grounds.

She said nearly 4,000 families in Mombasa have been affected by the heavy rains and floods, with at least 300 families having no place to sleep after their houses were marooned or swept away by the raging floods.

According to the Regional Commissioner, the other households affected are Kwale (681), Lamu (305), Kilifi (204), and Taita Taveta (89).

Pedestrians try to pass a flooded street following heavy rains at Kiembeni district in Mombasa on 17 November 2023.(Photo by STRINGER / AFP)

On Monday, North Eastern leaders appealed for urgent aid saying that about two-thirds of the region has been adversely affected by the El Nino rains.

The leaders led by Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi warned the region is staring at a humanitarian crisis after roads leading to the Northern parts of the country were cut off by the ravaging floods.

Speaking at the Wilson Airport as they flagged a consignment of drugs destined for Wajir, the leaders said Wajir County has been cut off from the rest of the country and towns and villages, making the delivery of essential needs such as food and medicines impossible.

Governor Ahmed cautioned “Unless we get more logistical support, we fear more lives will be lost.”

“We've procured medical supplies from KEMSA and are airlifting them to address immediate health needs. However, we require additional support in the form of mosquito nets and chlorine to mitigate the health risks," he said.

Wajir County County Commissioner Karuka Ngumo has said six people have been killed and more than 30,000 locals have been displaced.

The damaged Garissa -Nunow road that links Garissa, Wajir and Mandera counties. (Photo: Courtesy)

In Isiolo, Governor Abdi Ibrahim said four people are reported to have died from flood-related accidents while 3,000 families have been displaced.

In Garissa town 2,500 have been displaced after River Tana burst its banks which has also affected residents of the Tana North sub-county in Tana River County who were settled along the river.

The dire situation has also seen thousands of displaced persons seeking shelter in schools and hospitals while others have been forced to build makeshift structures in open ground.

Garissa Governor Nathif Jama has appealed for helicopters to assist in delivering food aid as his counterparts Governor Mohamud Ali (Marsabit) and Governor Dhadho Godhana (Tana River) called for support from the national government.

The government on Saturday said counties experiencing El Nino rains had risen from 19 to 33 over the past week.

In a statement issued by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua regarding the flood situation in Kenya on Saturday, some of the worst affected counties include Mombasa, Garissa, Tana River, Marsabit, Kilifi, Kwale, Isiolo, Turkana, Samburu and Wajir.

"At least 80,000 households across the country have been negatively affected - mainly displacements or marooned - with numbers rising every day," Gachagua said.

The DP has said the situation has continued to threaten lives and that multi-agency teams drawn from government agencies, county governments and partners are responding in various ways to mitigate the negative impact of the El Nino rains.

Additional reporting by Issa Hussein