Kenya Red Cross warns 2 million people could be affected by El Niño rains

According to Kenya Red Cross Disaster Risk Reduction Manager Peter Murgor, 46 counties are at risk, with more than two million people likely to be affected.

From Nairobi County, which is racing against time to unclog its drainage systems, to Garissa, where proactive strategies are being stepped up, preparations are underway to mitigate the impact of the projected adverse weather phenomenon.

Inside dark tunnels, young men and women are digging through Nairobi's drainage systems, which have increasingly turned into underground dumping sites.

The city's Green Army is also clearing tonnes of garbage from drainage channels, exposing an ugly mountain of plastic bottles, papers, sacks, diapers, old clothes and organic waste dumped by residents and traders.

"At Kware Bridge, a lot of waste has been collected since April. So far, we have been able to collect 1,500 truckloads, and the servicing of that collection point is happening every day," an official stated.

The works are part of ongoing preparations across Nairobi County ahead of the expected El Niño rains.

Nairobi has identified 16 flood hotspots requiring urgent intervention, with efforts already underway to clear and deepen drainage systems.

"We have been able to open up the parking lot in Westlands to allow for free flow of water so that at least the areas downstream do not flood. We have also done a lot of unclogging of drains in First Parklands, including informal settlements like Mukuru, Kibera and other areas across the city," the official stated.

Nairobi County recently signed a cooperation agreement with the national government that will provide Ksh.2.4 billion to strengthen the city's response to flooding and related challenges.

"We have mapped out three different scenarios, the best-case scenario where very few people will be affected and the worst-case scenario where over 100,000 households and people will be affected. We have mapped out rescue centres that are going to be used if need be across the city," the official stated.

In Garissa County, Governor Nathif Jama convened a multi-stakeholder high-level preparedness meeting to discuss coordination and measures to mitigate the impact of flooding in areas along the Tana River.

"Our next course of action is an intense awareness campaign to tell our people to move away from the riverline area," Jama stated.

According to the Kenya Red Cross, 46 out of the 47 counties are at risk, with the projected number of people likely to be affected standing at more than two million.

"Garissa, Tana River, the coastal belt, coastal counties, Western Kenya and looking at areas like Baringo and West Pokot, which are prone to being flooded because of the lakes," Murgor stated.

With about 30 days to the expected onset of the El Niño rains, the Kenya Red Cross says preparations are already underway.

"We are 70 to 75 per cent. We are looking at the county and national contingency plans and activation has been done. Early warning information has been issued and understood, and that has been done. Kenya Red Cross, we have done our own internal capacity. We have 15 trained experts with over 50 boats ready to evacuate should there be a need for evacuation," Murgor stated.

Murgor has urged intensified resource mobilisation to finance preparedness activities, strengthen last-mile dissemination of early warning information and identify shelter areas to enhance the country's readiness for the projected rains.