Kenya: Over 200,000 displaced as flooding continues /update 7

Event

The UN reported on Thursday, May 3, that an estimated 244,400 people have been displaced and 80 killed since March as a result of the heavy rains and flooding. Most of the people affected have been in the Tana River, Kilifi, and Mandera counties. On Friday, May 4, six people reportedly drowned in overnight flooding and 11 more were still missing in Kajiado county. Many schools have been paralyzed as a result of the flooding. In Suba North, at least nine schools have incurred damages due to the heavy rains and strong winds. Despite the heavy rains, Nairobi residents are experiencing a water shortage. Aid agencies have warned that heavy rain could trigger or worsen outbreaks of diseases such as malaria and cholera.

Context

According to the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS), heavy rainfall has prompted flooding that has left over 100 people dead since early April. Hundreds of thousands of others have been displaced since the rainy season began in early March.

Kenya typically experiences a rainy season beginning in late April and lasting until early June. The rains arrived early this year (in March); meteorologists believe that this is the result of the Madden-Julian Oscillation, an eastward-moving low-pressure system that carries clouds and rain around tropical regions over a 30- to 60-day period.

Advice

Individuals present in affected areas are advised to keep abreast of the situation, avoid areas directly hit by flooding, and adhere to any orders issued by the local authorities (e.g. evacuation orders). Remember that driving or walking through running water can be dangerous - 15 cm (6 in) of running water is enough to knock over an adult - and that floodwater may contain wastewater or chemical products; all items having come into contact with the water should be disinfected and all foodstuffs discarded. Be aware that the risk of contracting water- and mosquito-borne diseases, including malaria, chikungunya, dengue fever, yellow fever, and the Zika virus, tends to rise after periods of heavy rains; take measures to protect yourself from mosquito bites (use insect repellent, mosquito nets, etc.) and only consume purified water.