Kenya: Floods Kill at Least 13 People, Displace Nearly 15,000, UN

April 12, 2024 Hour: 5:20 pm

On Friday, the United Nations humanitarian agency said that heavy rains and ensuing flash flooding have left at least 13 people killed and nearly 15,000 others displaced across Kenya.

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According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the last week of March marked the beginning of the long rains (March to May) season, which has been characterized by heavy rains and floods that have caused increased water levels in rivers, infrastructural damage, livestock and property losses, and limited road access in various regions of Kenya.

The OCHA, which cited reports from the Kenyan authorities and the Kenya Red Cross Society, said areas of particular concern include counties in the northern, central, western and eastern parts of the country.

Following intense rains and flooding that submerged homes in the informal settlements on March 25, at least 11 people died and 9,000 were displaced in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, according to the UN agency.

10 families displaced, over 400 adversely affected by floods following heavy rainfall in Ndia, Kirinyaga. pic.twitter.com/wPgfgyfaaW

— Hot 96 FM Kenya (@Hot_96Kenya)
April 12, 2024

On April 8, two people, including a minor, drowned at a rock catchment dam in Muranga County, central Kenya, and another person was still missing when a river flooded in Kitui County, eastern Kenya.

“Humanitarian partners are moving emergency shelter and non-food items to regions at risk of flooding while working with authorities to assess the needs alongside scaling up response to affected communities,” OCHA said in its Flash Update issued in Nairobi.

The meteorological department has issued advisories on the continuation of heavy rainfall in most parts of the country until April 15.