Coast Guard puts rescue teams on standby as El Nino rains loom

Kenya Coast Guard Service locations on the coast and inland lakes, as the service prepares for the October to December rains. [Courtesy]

The Kenya Coast Guard Service (KCGS) is positioning rescue teams and vessels in flood-prone areas as Kenya enters the October-December rainfall season, preparing for floods, rising water levels and rough sea conditions.

The service is inspecting patrol boats, inflatable rescue crafts and life-saving equipment while stockpiling fuel, emergency rations, medical kits and communication equipment ahead of the peak rainfall period.

The preparations come as the Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD) issues its October-December 2026 seasonal weather forecast to guide disaster preparedness and response across the country.

Kenya's preparations also follow flooding after the 2023 El Niño rains.

KMD reported that most rivers remained above flood-alert levels after the October-December rains, while sustained high water levels inundated areas around the Nyando River mouth and Lake Victoria.

The March-May 2024 rains then caused widespread flooding, with more than 200 people killed and more than 100,000 households affected, according to KMD. Coastal areas suffered more than Sh400 million in damage.

KCGS has established a 24-hour Maritime Disaster Response Joint Operations Centre at its headquarters in Mombasa to monitor conditions and coordinate emergency responses.

The centre will maintain links with the National Disaster Operations Centre (NDOC) and KMD to share weather and disaster information and guide deployment.

Along the coast, KCGS has identified the Tana River Delta and Garsen, the Lamu Archipelago, Vanga and Shimoni in Kwale County, Tudor and Port Reitz creeks in Mombasa, Kilifi Creek and the Sabaki River mouth as areas requiring heightened preparedness.

The service said upstream runoff could cause flooding around the Tana River Delta and Garsen, while rough seas could threaten communities in the Lamu Archipelago that depend on water transport.

In Kwale, low-lying areas around Vanga and Shimoni face the risk of tidal surges and flash floods. KCGS also expects flooding around settlements near water basins in Mombasa.

The preparations extend to inland waterways, including the Lake Victoria Basin, Lake Baringo, Lake Bogoria, Lake Naivasha, the Turkwel River and Lake Turkana.

KCGS said rising water levels around Kisumu, Homa Bay and Budalang'i could submerge landing sites and leave fishing boats and communities stranded.

At Lake Baringo and Lake Bogoria, flooding could threaten infrastructure and displace communities, while Lake Naivasha faces risks to lakeside agricultural infrastructure and small fishing vessels.

Further north, flash floods from surrounding highlands could endanger communities living along the Turkwel River and Lake Turkana.

The service has also begun joint flood-rescue simulation drills with the Kenya Navy, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and local divers at Diani Beach to test coordinated search-and-rescue operations.

KCGS said it has responded to more than 1,500 maritime emergencies since 2023, including 424 rescue cases this year.

During floods that affected Ahero and Nyakach in March and April, its officers evacuated 86 households, moved more than 200 livestock to safety and rescued more than 300 people.

The service has urged vessel operators to maintain communication equipment and adequate safety gear while at sea and follow maritime safety requirements during adverse weather.

KCGS said it will adjust deployment based on weather forecasts, emerging risks and conditions across Kenya's maritime and inland waterways.

The government has also urged communities living near rivers, lakes, the coastline and other water bodies to follow official weather and safety advisories and avoid unnecessary movement near hazardous waterways during severe weather.