Floods Cause at Least 15 Deaths in Kenya

On Monday, a humanitarian agency's report stated that flash and river floods, caused by heavy rains that have ravaged several parts of Kenya, have resulted in the death of at least 15 people and the destruction of homes and other property.

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The Kenya Red Cross Society said that more than 15,000 households have been affected, over 1,000 livestock have been killed, and several acres of agricultural farmland have been inundated across the country.

"Heavy rains with varying flood effects have been reported across the country. As of Sunday, 15,264 households have been affected, with 15 casualties reported and at least 1,067 livestock deaths. 241 acres of agricultural farmland have been destroyed due to flash floods," the Red Cross said in a statement issued in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.

The statement also noted that several people have sustained varying degrees of injuries due to the ongoing rains that started in mid-October.

Furthermore, the Kenya Meteorological Department issued a warning on Nov 3 of above-average rainfall until Monday, but it also noted that the ongoing rains are expected to last until January 2024.

"Heavy rains with various flood effects have been reported across the country," the Red Cross said, with most of the deaths and destruction being recorded in northern Kenya.

According to weather experts, the ongoing rains are a result of El Niño conditions and a positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), which are currently present in the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean. El Niño is a climate pattern that occurs every two to seven years, while the IOD is a climate pattern linked to sea surface temperatures in the ocean.

Heavy rains, following a prolonged drought that left more than four million people food insecure, are expected to peak later this month.