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Misiani Zachary, Linet Onyango, Paul Anywayo
The current heavy rainfall being experienced in Kenya has led to significant damage to properties and loss of lives.
The country is still recovering from the effects of the drought, which has had a devastating impact on the livelihoods of millions of people. The Kenya Meteorological Department had earlier predicted that the "Long Rains" season would begin on the weekend of March 11th, 2023, with light to moderate rainfall in some areas. However, the rainfall intensified and spread to various regions of the country from March 13th, 2023, causing significant destruction. The "Long Rains" season is a crucial period for Kenya's agricultural sector, particularly in the Western, Rift Valley, and Central regions, as it provides the much-needed moisture for planting and growing crops. However, the current heavy rainfall has led to flash floods, landslides, and other related disasters, which had disrupted transportation networks, and displaced communities. (REF. No: KMD/FCST/4-2023/SR/01).
The rainfall that was expected over several parts of the country from the weekend (11th March) was as a result of the impacts of the Tropical Cyclone Freddy Figure 1. TC Freddy which was developed off the North Australian coast and became a named storm on 6th February, 2023 by Australian Bureau of Meteorology, it crossed the entire South Indian Ocean and made landfall in Madagascar on 21st February and then in Mozambique on 24th February. TC Freddy was responsible for the rainfall that was experienced during the last week of February Figure 2 in some parts of the Highlands West of the Rift Valley and Lake Victoria Basin as it made landfall in Mozambique.
Tropical Cyclone Freddy, was one of the world’s longestlived, powerful, and deadly storm, it travelled more than 8,000 kilometers for 34 days, crossed the entire South Indian Ocean. While tracking westwards across the ocean, the system strengthened and became a category 4 cyclone with mean winds of 115mph by 11th February. By the middle of February, Freddy had left the Australian Bureau of Meteorology’s area of responsibility and moved into the region overseen by MeteoFrance La Réunion, according to World Meteorological Organization.