Floods: Death toll rises to 210 as 196,296 persons displaced by ongoing floods

The number of Kenyans who have died from the ongoing nationwide floods rose to 210 as of Friday morning as the nation continues to battle with torrential rains.

A communiqué from the Interior Ministry said that the rising number has been occasioned following heavy rains witnessed in Nairobi, Kajiado, Machakos, Narok, Kiambu, Murang'a, Nyeri, Nakuru, Laikipia, Mandera and Homabay Counties that resulted to flooding

This comes as landslides and mudslides occurred in Murang'a, Nyeri, and Nakuru Counties in the last 24 hours.

The Ministry also said 22 fatalities have been reported in the last 24 hours.

So far, the number of missing people remains at 90 while 125 people have been reported injured.

The number of displaced households is 33,100, affecting approximately 165,500 people.

In total, at least 196,296 people have been impacted by the heavy rains.

In response to the flooding impact, Interior CS Kithure Kindiki has highlighted that 115 camps have been set up across 19 Counties hosting 27,586 people.

He further said 1,967 schools have been affected by the floods.

Meanwhile, the government continues to make various interventions in collaboration with the County Governments, the Kenya Red Cross, and other humanitarian organisations.

The ministry added that there are currently 151 Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) officers actively engaged in Mai Mahiu, Nakuru County where 52 deceased persons have been retrieved and 49 people are still missing following a mudslide tragedy.

"400 National Youth Service (NYS) have also been deployed to reinforce the ongoing search and rescue operations in both Mai Mahiu while the National Police Service, National Disaster Operation Managers, Public Health Officers, and Ambulance Service Providers are on-site in each of the emergency locations," said the statement.

Similarly, KDF has been deployed to Joska, Machakos County on the Athi River bridge while a search mission continues at Maroro, Tana River County where seven bodies have been recovered. 13 people are still missing and 23 people were rescued after a boat with 40 people capsized at the beginning of the week.

At the same time, the government has distributed 336,000 kg of essential food supplies of rice and beans to support affected communities in Busia, Homabay, Kisumu, Machakos, Nairobi, Nakuru and Murang'a Counties

" There is a need for more food, medical kits, and non-food items to affected Counties and where search and rescue operations are still ongoing," Kindiki stated.

The counties include Garissa, Kiambu, Migori, Narok, Kajiado, West Pokot, Nyeri, Siaya, Nyandarua, Kirinyaga and Tana River.

The Interior Ministry further stated that on Friday marking the beginning of the weekend until Sunday, the weather forecast says heavy to very heavy rainfall and thunderstorms will be experienced in over 33 Counties.

The areas in the Western region to be affected are Kakamega, Vihiga, Busia, Bungoma and Trans Nzoia; Lake Victoria Basin (Kisumu, Kisii, Nyamira, Migori, Siaya, Homabay) while in the Rift Valley Nandi, Bomet, Nakuru, Elgeyo Marakwet, West Pokot, Baringo, Samburu, Turkana, Uasin Gishu, Laikipia and Narok will experience rain.

In the Central region, Nyeri, Muranga, Kirinyaga, Kiambu and Nyandarua will expect heavy rains while in Eastern, Machakos, Embu, Tharaka Nithi, Meru and Marsabit, adding Nairobi counties will experience the same.

"Flooding is expected in low-lying areas, riparian areas and urban areas while landslides/mudslides may occur in areas with steep slopes, escarpments and ravines," reads the statement.

Most parts of the North Eastern (Isiolo, Garissa, Wajir, Mandera), and South Eastern (Kitui, Makueni, Taita, Taveta, Tana River) regions are forecasted to be generally dry.

However, the CS warns that the continuous heavy rains in the Central region and the overflow of the Seven Forks Dams pose potential flooding in the Tana Delta impacting Garissa, Tana River, and Lamu Counties.

Despite sunny intervals in the Coast region, the ministry has noted that Tropical Cyclone Hidaya is forecasted to bring strong winds and large ocean waves, with heavy rainfall starting on Sunday, May 5, 2024.

President William Ruto's cabinet on Thursday issued a warning alerting Kenyans to the looming threat of Cyclone Hidaya set to hit the coastal region.

"Crucially, the coastal region is likely to experience Cyclone Hidaya, which will result in heavy rainfall, large waves, and strong winds that could affect marine activities in the Indian Ocean," reads the cabinet dispatch.

Cyclones are tropical storms that occur in the oceans.

Furthermore, a nationwide assessment of dams has been conducted, identifying 192 dams as high-risk areas.

The dams are located in Central (60), Eastern (39), Rift Valley (29), Coast (22), Western (21), Nairobi (12), North Eastern (5), and Nyanza (4)

Kindiki took the opportunity to remind those affected that there are Voluntary vacations or mandatory evacuations of all persons living in the neighbourhood of 178 dams and water reservoirs in 33 Counties that have filled up or are near filled up by 6:30 pm today( Friday).

Also, all persons living in riparian corridors and within a 30-meter radius of rivers have been directed to vacate immediately or be forcefully removed.

"All buildings and structures unlawfully erected within the 30-metre radius of Nairobi Rivers (Mathare, Ngong and Nairobi Rivers) are to be removed immediately and persons living within the same radius are to exit by 6.30 pm today or be mandatorily evacuated," the CS added.

He however insisted that the mandatory evacuation would be done during the day humanely with all stakeholders, including humanitarian agencies being involved in the process