The Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD) has issued a list of areas that are expected to receive heavy rains on Thursday, May 9, and Friday May 10, 2024.
KMD in a statement on Thursday said that continued rainfall is expected across multiple regions in the country while also issuing an advisory for members of the public to stay cautious amid the ongoing rains.
“Continued rainfall across multiple regions. Isolated heavy rain likely in some parts of Western Kenya, Rift Valley, Central Highlands, Lake Victoria Basin, North Coast, and Offshore on Thursday 9th and Friday 10th May,” read part of the statement.
At the same time, the weatherman highlighted that Nairobi County is likely to experience cloudy weather with sunny intervals and light to moderate rain.
The department said Highlands East of the Rift Valley including Nairobi County and parts of the Southeastern lowlands are likely to experience rainfall in the month of May and remain generally cool and cloudy with occasional light rains in June and July.
KMD Gives 5-day Forecast
The department in its weather update had on March 8 announced that heavy rainfall events were likely to occur in some parts of the Highlands East and West of the Rift Valley, the Lake Victoria Basin and the Rift Valley.
According to the weatherman, these areas were expected to receive rains during the first half of the 5-day forecast period.
Furthermore, the department highlighted that rainfall intensities across the country are likely to reduce during the second half of the forecast period.
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The weatherman said that most parts of the Coast, North-eastern and North-western Kenya were expected to experience high average daytime (maximum) temperature of more than 30 degrees centigrade.
“Average night-time (minimum) temperatures will be low (less than 10 degrees centigrade) over some parts of the Highlands East of the Rift Valley,” KMD added.
However, KMD warned of continued flooding in low-lying areas, flood plains and in urban areas with poor drainage.
Government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura while providing a statement on the flooding situation in Kenya on Wednesday said that the latest weather forecast indicated that heavy rainfall and thunderstorms would continue in 31 Counties.
“The affected regions include the Lake Victoria Basin, Rift Valley, Central and the Eastern regions. Occasional rainfall is also forecasted in Nairobi and along the Coast region, affecting the Tana River, Kwale, Mombasa, Kilifi, Lamu Counties,” said Mwaura.
Flooding
Further, Lake Victoria and Lake Baringo were predicted to continue causing backflow and flooding of the Counties in the Lake Victoria and Lake Baringo Basins.
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On the other hand, Mwaura warned that continuous heavy rains in the Central region and the overflow of the Seven Forks Dams pose the risk of increased flooding in the Tana Delta and the Garissa, Tana River, and Lamu Counties.
The government has warned that flooding is expected in low-lying areas, and in the urban and riparian areas, while landslides or mudslides may occur in the areas with steep slopes, escarpments and ravines.
However, the Northeastern region (Isiolo, Wajir, Mandera, and Garissa counties) and Southeastern (Taita Taveta, Kitui, and Tana River counties) regions were expected to experience favorable weather of more than 30°C.
Mwaura said that this would in turn set the stage for post-flood recovery initiatives in public works, the reconstruction of schools, repairs to water treatment systems, road repairs and improvements to the accessibility of social and economic facilities.
Death Toll and Dispacements
The death toll from flooding and other impacts of the heavy rains that have hit Kenya since March has risen to 257 as of Wednesday, March 8, 2024.
Additionally, these unfavorable weather conditions have continued to impact varied sectors of the country’s economy including transport, housing, education, health and agriculture.
“As at today, we are mourning the loss of a total of 257 lives with 14 adults and the 5 children reported dead in the last 24 hours. A total 188 people have been injured, while 293, 661 people have been affected and 54,837 households have been displaced,” said Mwaura.
The forecast for the next three months indicates that rainfall is expected over the Highlands West of the Rift Valley, the Lake Victoria Basin, Central and South Rift Valley as well as the Coastal region.
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