El Nino floods death toll now at 154, half a million displaced
Submerged houses in Garissa due to ongoing rains. At least 14 people have been killed in the region.
What you need to know:
- Lamu and Tana River counties are now the worst affected counties.
- Turkana County has also joined the list of affected counties, raising the total number to 38.
At least 12 more people have lost their lives to El Nino floods since Friday last week, raising the death toll to 154.
The floods have also displaced more than half a million people, up from 472,000 recorded by Friday last week.
This is according to the Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura.
Mr Mwaura said Lamu and Tana River counties are now the worst affected counties. Turkana County has also joined the list of affected counties, raising the total number to 38.
He explained that rains are expected to continue in the southern parts of the country, especially the East, West and South Rift Valley highlands, Kwale, Lamu and Southern Garissa until December 7.
“Food distribution continues in 20 counties, as rescue efforts continue in the affected counties. The situation is dire in Tana River County, and in some regions, where roads are submerged, we are waiting for rain to subside to get support to resume dispatch of relief items,” said Mr Mwaura in an interview with Nation.
He also explained that 820,555 insecticide-treated mosquito nets had been distributed in Homabay County.
Besides, medicines were loaded yesterday from Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) to be transported or airlifted to Lamu, Malindi, Garissa and Tana River counties.
As of Friday, one child and one adult male had died in Tana River County. In Taita Taveta, one male lost his life, and two children died in Machakos County. One adult male also lost his life in Kisumu.
On the same day, Mr Mwaura announced that five more camps had been set up in the country to accommodate the growing number of displaced Kenyans, within the Dadaab refugee camp taking in 6,000 people displaced from Dahagute, Ifo and Hagadera areas that had been submerged. 352 people had also been displaced in Kakuma refugee camp as of Friday when the floods washed away their houses.
About a week ago, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) launched an emergency appeal for Sh3.1 billion to support the country’s response to the El Niño-enhanced floods. This will include emergency shelter, psychosocial support, early warning dissemination, and supplying food and water to over 10,000 households.
Mr Mohamed Babiker, IFRC Head of Delegation, Nairobi Country Cluster for Somalia and Kenya, said the floods have “triggered a major humanitarian crisis that is affecting millions of people”, and that they are “working closely with the Kenya Red Cross Society to provide emergency relief to those affected by the floods.”
“We are dealing with a situation where entire communities have either been submerged or marooned. Roads and other critical infrastructure have been cut off, disrupting the delivery of vital supplies. We need to urgently provide food, clean water and medical supplies to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe,” said Dr Ahmed Idris, Secretary General, of Kenya Red Cross Society.
