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Kenya

Kenya, Africa | Floods 2023 Operation Update (MDRKE058) (05/02/2024)

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Description of the crisis

Since onset, flood effects have been felt in 38 counties across the country resulting to loss of lives, injuries, displacements and destruction of key infrastructure. Increase in contaminated water has also led to more secondary effects which include disease outbreaks (vector and water borne diseases) hence increased need to provide clean and safe water to at risk communities.

A population of 757,173 people (138,560 households) has been affected to date since the onset of the OND 2023 short rains Out of these; 64,373 households have been displaced in Mandera, Wajir, Garissa, Mombasa, Tana River, Marsabit, Meru, Isiolo, Samburu, Homa Bay, Turkana, Taita Taveta, Kwale, Kilifi, Tharaka Nithi and Makueni, Migori, Kisumu, Busia, West Pokot, Bungoma, Elgeyo Marakwet, Turkana, Narok, Baringo, Kericho, Nyandarua, Nakuru, Kirinyaga, Murang’a, Nyeri, Lamu, Kajiado, Nairobi and Kitui Counties. KRCS has been able to support 208 Camps across these counties of which 107 are still active with the biggest chunk being in Tana River County.

Additionally, the destruction of over 25,269 acres of farmland, 1,302 businesses and 17,392 livestock deaths have been reported. There are 231 reported cases of cholera across the country with 213 in Lamu and 18 cases in Tana River. There are 4 fatalities with a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 1.2% in Lamu. Tana River County has reported 1 fatality with a CFR of 5.6%. According to the MoH, there are 50 cases of gender-based violence (GBV) recorded over this period.

The floods are exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the region just as it emerges from the worst drought in four decades, which has left millions of people hungry. Some of the hardest hit areas have been the semi-arid lands where pastoralism is the economic driver for livelihoods. These areas are still recovering from the worst drought in 40 years, which led to high rates of malnutrition.

The drought, coupled with El Niño rains and extreme temperatures, underscores the climate change challenges that Kenya and other countries in the Horn of Africa region are grappling with. Moreover, the situation is worsening as the rains continue, with the country's Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD) predicting continued heavy rainfall until the end of January 2024.

Forecast of rains with continued impact

Above-average rainfall was experienced in most parts of the Country with most effects being felt in North-Eastern, Coast, Upper Eastern and West Kenyan parts during the October-November- December (OND) short rains. Rainfall is expected to continue in Southern parts of the country during the month of January to March 2024.