Kenya, May 13- The Kenya Metrological Department has warned of heavy rainfall across the country from next week, even as the governmen announced that 237 people have been killed by floods since last month.
The Department Director Stella Aura urged the public to heed the government’s precautionary measures, particularly for people living in lowland areas or along the river banks.
Areas worst affected are in Rift Valley, Central and along the Coastal strip on the banks of River Tana that has been overflowing, rendering hundreds homeless.
“My appeal is for Kenyans to listen to what the government is advising them to do,” she said.
Environment Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko attributed the current flooding crisis to climate change- which has led to a drastic disparity in weather patterns, with water levels in places like Lake Victoria breaking a 56-year record.
“We take nature and environment quite lightly. Nature is unforgiving,” the Cs asserted. “We have cleared off forests from escarpments, hill tops and also from the slopes including grabbing public utility plots, really aggravating the effects and consequences of heavy rainfall as we are witnessing in this country.”
According to Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa, some 807, 000 Kenyans have been affected by the heavy rains that intensified last month.
Mandera County is the latest region to be hit by the floods after river Dawa broke its banks.
Garissa, Tana River Counties, parts of areas around Lake Naivasha and Victoria have been the worst hit.
“The flooding situation continues to worsen, and we are asking Kenyans to be aware that the areas that are close to the rivers, prone to landslides… are risky areas to be during this period,” he said.
“With the rains still going on and our dams filled, we expect more people to be affected,” he said.
The rains are expected to subside at the end of June.
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