Attachments
Description of the Event
Date of event
14-05-2025
What happened, where and when?
Kenya is currently experiencing two concurrent and interrelated crises: the March–April–May (MAM) long rains and a cholera outbreak in flood-affected counties. The widespread impact on infrastructure, livelihood compounding with the gaps on health response for ongoing outbreaks such as cholera and leishmaniasis is driven a multi-hazard crisis in several counties. Multiple counties have requested Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) support for flood, cholera and Visceral Leishmaniasis response. Kisumu County sought assistance for cholera control on 2 May and flood response on 14 May, following earlier appeals including a public notice by the Cabinet Secretary for Health. On 14 May, following joint assessment, the Government requested Kenya Red Cross support in the floods response. Following further floods alerts, on 16 May, the government ordered evacuations in Tana River and Garissa after Kiambere Dam overflowed and KRCS was called to support as well.
Kenya’s March–April–May (MAM) long rains, which began in March 2025, are expected to peak in mid to late May. So far, 23 counties—mainly in Coastal, Central, Lower Eastern, North Rift, Upper Eastern, Western, and North Eastern regions—have reported impacts including flash floods, strong winds, and landslides. As of 13 May, 14,793 households have been affected, 3,650 displaced, 23 fatalities reported, 5,337 acres of farmland destroyed, and 2,379 livestock lost. Rainfall is forecast to continue, with heavy downpours expected in Nairobi, the Central Highlands, Lake Victoria Basin, and parts of the Rift Valley.
In parallel, both the upsurge of cases and death for cholera and Leishmaniasis pose a serious threat to the communities in the past quarter. The widespread floods have been a driven factor for that escalation, generating compounding environmental conditions for vector and water borne diseases due to the major impact in already affected or particularly vulnerable populations in flood-prone, underserved, and arid regions.
Since the beginning of the cholera outbreak in February 2025, Kenya has faced a cholera outbreak now affecting the Coastal, Lower Eastern, and Western regions. As of 13 May, 244 cases and 11 deaths have been reported, with a 4.5% case fatality rate. All affected counties (Migori, Kisumu, Nairobi, and Kwale) are also experiencing flooding, which has damaged sanitation infrastructure and contributed to the spread of the disease. The index cholera case was reported on 12 February 2025 in Sakuri B Village, Kuria East, Migori County, after six individuals presented with acute watery diarrhea. KRCS and local health authorities launched a joint response using available resources.
Additionally, since January 2025 Kenya has also experienced an outbreak of Visceral Leishmaniasis. As of 18th May 2025, a cumulative total of 1,715 cases and 106 deaths have been recorded. The counties most affected are in the Arid and Semi Arid areas - Upper Eastern and North Eastern Regions. Of these counties two are also affected by floods - Wajir and Marsibit. The ongoing change in temperatures and rainfall patterns have resulted in a conducive environment for breeding of vectors, such as sandies which are responsible for the spread of Visceral Leishmaniasis.
The Kenya Red Cross Society has mobilized branches and volunteers to respond to both the floods and cholera outbreak. Flood response efforts focus on life-saving actions such as aqua search and rescue, followed by relief distribution. In support of the Ministry of Health, KRCS is also addressing the cholera outbreak through Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE), community surveillance, and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) interventions, including Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) at both community and facility levels. Additionally, vector control initiatives and risk communication will be included to respond to leishmaniasis.