The Ministry of Interior has issued an urgent call for residents to evacuate areas downstream of the Kiambere Dam following weeks of heavy and prolonged rainfall over the Mt. Kenya and Aberdare catchment areas.
Interior PS Raymond Omollo, in a statement issued on Friday, May 16, said the intense downpours have led to a sharp increase in inflows into the Seven Forks hydropower cascade.
According to the PS, Kiambere Dam, the last reservoir in the cascade system, has exceeded its full supply level, and the potential of widespread flooding is both real and imminent.
“Under the prevailing circumstances, we hereby issue an immediate voluntary evacuation directive to all communities living downstream of the multipurpose reservoir,” read part of the statement.
Interior Ministry Issues Evacuation Notice for Residents of Lower Tana River Basin
Residents living downstream and those within the proximity of the spillway zones, particularly those in Garissa and Tana River counties, are at greater risk.
The most vulnerable areas include Garissa, Hola, Garsen, and the broader Lower Tana River basin. We urge these communities to move to higher ground without delay.
In coordination with KenGen, the National Disaster Operations Centre, and local Disaster Response Committees, PS Raymond stated that the ministry has activated full emergency communication and response protocols to manage the evacuation exercise with the urgency and seriousness it demands.
“KenGen is also undertaking other precautionary measures, key among them controlled spillages, to safeguard the structural integrity of the reservoirs,” the PS stated.
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He added that the government is closely monitoring the inflow patterns and reservoir levels at Masinga, Kamburu, Gitaru, and Kindaruma Dams.
“To avert potential loss of life, we are deploying all available resources in coordination with local government administrators (NGAOs), who are actively securing temporary shelters in public schools, churches, and other designated government facilities,” the statement read further.
Public health officials are also mobilizing humanitarian support mechanisms to provide immediate relief and safe refuge for affected families.
First responders, led by the Kenya Red Cross Society and the Kenya Coast Guard Service (KCGS), remain on standby to carry out emergency rescue operations until the current threat has passed. To this end, we urge all residents in the affected areas to heed this advisory and prioritize safety above all else.
According to forecasts from the Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD), rainfall and showers are expected in the affected areas from Friday, May 16, 2025, through Tuesday, May 20, 2025.
Also Read: MCA’s Vehicle Swept Away by Floods
Floods Alert as Masinga Dam Overflows
The directive comes a day after Energy Principal Secretary Alex Wachira on Thursday May 15 sounded a floods alarm in Garissa and Tana River counties following the spilling of Masinga dam.
Wachira said residents living in the Tana delta are at risk and advised them to move to higher ground.
The dam, the largest water reservoir for power production, had surpassed its capacity of 1056.5 meters above sea level.
Currently, the level is at 1057.15 meters and is expected to rise further going by increased rains, with inflow of 253.81 cubic meters per second.
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