Interior CS Kindiki announces intensified flood relief efforts

Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kithure Kindiki has announced the government's move to step up efforts to offer support to people affected by raging floods occasioned by the ongoing heavy rains across the country.

“The National Police Service (NPS) is coordinating search and rescue operations by land and air, and the Kenya Red Cross is supplementing the measures. The Kenya Coast Guard Service (KCGS) has also been directed to step up its response operations,” he said.

The Interior CS added that County Security Teams across the country have been directed to work with County Government officials to ensure compulsory evacuation of those at risk.

Additionally, he stated that there is mobilization by the government to supply food and non-food supplies to support the displaced.

“All available financial and human resources as well as public equipment are being deployed to mitigate the adverse effects of the raging waters on life, livestock, crops, and property,” Kindiki said.

He further pointed out that the Meteorological Department and Road Agencies would issue frequent public advisories for areas prone to heavy rainfall.

Motorists and pedestrians have been strongly advised to avoid engaging in risky behaviour in flood-prone or excessively wet regions.

He urged the public to cooperate with safety, health, risk, emergency, and communication teams that have been dispatched to monitor, and oversee help to those in distress.

Heavy rains have rocked various regions in the country, with the Kenya Meteorological Department predicting that the situation will continue through May 2024.

As a result of heavy rain, rivers and dams have burst, leading to homes being submerged. Flood victims in certain regions have had to wait on treetops and roofs until the waters recede before seeking safety.

The Kenya Red Cross has warned that the flood situation in the country has escalated from an emergency to a disaster level, with the death toll from ongoing floods reaching 38.