Brace for severe El Nino rains in December

Kenyans should brace themselves for severe El Nino in December and January, the weatherman has said. Central Region Meteorological Officer Francis Nguatah observed that all indications were that El Nino rains would fall but the severity of the downpour would be mostly felt in its last two months.

Speaking in Nyeri yesterday, Mr Nguatah said: “We are certain to a point of between 93 per cent to 95 per cent that El Nino will manifest itself.”

He told The Standard that the start of the current rains and abnormally hot days was an indication of the coming of El Nino.

 He said in the past, short rains normally started towards the end of October and ended in December. “The El Nino phenomenon has already started being felt in Ethiopia where unusually heavy rainfall is being experienced,” he said. Coast and the northern region will be hardest hit, he said.