Gov't issues flood warning as Seven-Forks dams filled up

The government has issued a warning over potential flash floods in certain parts of the country owing to heavy rainfall expected to cause spillages in various dams.

In a statement to newsrooms on Wednesday, Interior Cabinet Secretary Prof. Kithure Kindiki highlighted that the Seven-Forks hydro-electric dams comprising Masinga, Kamburu, Gitaru, Kindaruma and Kiambere are at risk of overflowing and spilling over into adjacent areas.

"The Seven-Forks Hydro-electric Power Dams are filled up as of this morning. Masinga Dam, which is the first, largest and most consequential of these dams, is already spilling through the managed structural spillways," said Kindiki.

"The Masinga dam spillover does not present obvious spillover effects into the cascade dams of Kamburu, Gitaru, Kindaruma and Kiambere. This notwithstanding, any further precipitation is likely to cause the spillover to cascade to the other dams with greater flooding effects being likely in the settlements contiguous to the last dam-Kiambere."

Should the rains continue in the Tana River and River Thiba catchment areas, Kindiki warned that the overflow will head downstream, resulting in substantial flooding in Garissa, the Tana Delta, and Lamu.

"In Western Kenya, communities along lakes and rivers in Homa Bay, Siaya, Busia, Nyando, Nyakach, Muhoroni as well as low-lying areas in Migori, Kakamega and Vihiga risk flooding if the quantity of daily precipitation Increases beyond the prevailing levels," he said.

"Equally, at the risk of significant flooding are low-lying areas in Narok, Kajiado and Mombasa as well as hilly areas traditionally prone to mudslides particularly in Makueni, Nyeri, Murang'a and West Pokot counties."

Urban areas with clogged or poor drainage and public or private water reservoirs across Kenya may also flood if the rains continue uninterrupted in the coming days.

While urging members of the public to exercise caution, Kindiki revealed that that the potential floods may require the issuance of evacuation orders in the aforesaid areas.

"This morning. the National Disaster Operations Centro (NDOC) has reconvened the Multi-Agency Disaster Management Team established during the 2023 EI-Nino rains to ensure a coordinated approach to monitoring the current situation and organizing Government response programmes.

"Security and Intelligence Teams are directed to work with counties to monitor and report situations, and to support interventions to ensure mitigation against loss of human or livestock life and destruction of property. Should the situation demand, the Government will issue mandatory evacuation orders in specific areas in the interest of public safety."