The government has unveiled a plan to strengthen preparedness and response and minimise the potential impacts of the anticipated El Niño rains in October.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Ministry of Interior said it has mapped hotspots to identify areas vulnerable to flooding and other impacts of heavy rainfall, a move that will ensure prioritisation of preparedness, evacuation and response interventions.
For the Ministry, priority areas include riverine and low-lying areas, coastal areas, highland and landslide-prone areas, arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) and northern Kenya, as well as urban areas prone to flooding.
"Roads and transport infrastructure likely to be affected have also been identified across the North Eastern, Tana River, Coastal, Western/Nyanza, Rift Valley, Turkana, Nairobi, Central and Eastern regions," Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo said in the statement.
The National Contingency Plan, Omollo said, also involves conducting unclogging and desilting of drainage systems, culverts and other water channels, with choke points identified along specific drainage systems.
Solid waste and garbage management has also been enlisted among the activities, including through Climate WorX.
At the same time, Dr Omollo noted that they are conducting awareness of the evacuation of people living on riparian land and in other high-risk areas, with temporary holding grounds identified to accommodate populations that may be displaced by flooding and other emergencies.
This, he said, is being done through Chiefs, Assistant Chiefs, and Nyumba Kumi structures to ensure that timely information reaches communities,
"Water levels in rivers and other water bodies are being monitored, with particular attention to areas around major dams and communities living along river banks," he said.
He said inspection of bridges, roads, and critical utilities in flood-prone areas is also ongoing alongside
Similarly, he said the government has also strategically equipped emergency relief items, including food, non-food items, and emergency medical supplies, to facilitate rapid response in the event of displacement or other emergencies.
"Coordination among National Government Administration Officers (NGAOs), county governments, the Kenya Red Cross Society, the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA), security agencies, health workers, and other disaster management stakeholders is being enhanced to ensure a coordinated and timely response," PS Omollo stated.
He added: "Rapid response teams are on standby and are being strengthened to undertake search and rescue operations, evacuation and post-disaster assessments whenever required."
He urged members of the public to remain vigilant and take precautions, particularly those living in areas vulnerable to flooding, landslides and other rain-related hazards, including along river banks, riparian reserves, low-lying areas, areas prone to flash floods and landslides.
The anticipated impacts of the upcoming rains, according to the Ministry, include flooding, drowning, injuries and fatalities and displacement and isolation of communities.
Outbreak of diseases, disruption of essential services, damage to roads and other critical infrastructure, and losses to crops, livestock and livelihoods have also been enlisted as potential impacts.
