Prepare Yourselves For A Flooding Weekend – MET Warns

If you thought you had had enough rains, rebuild your energies for the next three days will drop your cats and dogs if not manna from the heavens if the weather forecast by the Kenya Meteorological Department is anything to go by.

The Kenya Meteorological Department has warned that Kenyans will need to prepare themselves for the heavy rains expected to start on today, 4^th December 2019, and continue all the way to the weekend.

Nairobi, Central and Southern regions of Kenya are some of those expected to be flooded by the heavy rains. The rains according to the MET department will be heavy starting of Wednesday, 4^th December 2019, evening to Friday, 6^th December 2019, and only subside over the weekend.

December 2019 is hence expected to be a rainy month especially in Nairobi,Embu, Meru, Nyeri, Kericho, Narok, Kajiado,  Nakuru, Elgeyo Marakwet, Kakamega, Uasin Gishu, Machakos, Makueni, Kitui, Nyandarua, Laikipia, Murang’a, Taita Taveta, Kisii, Homa Bay, Kisumu, Siaya, Baringo, West Pokot and Busia.

Kenyans are advised to be on the lookout as floods could be experienced in areas even with lesser rain depending on the drainage systems and methods put out to harvest water.

Organizations such as the Maendeleo Ya Wanawake Organization have come in on time to empower its members to own tanks with fifteen tanks already delivered to its members in Kajiado County.

Maendeleo Ya Wanawake teamed with Ndumu water tanks and Musoni Microfinance has come together to facilitate their members, who mostly include women in rural areas, to own ten thousand liter tanks.

The ten thousand liter tanks will enable the Maendeleo Ya Wanawake members to harvest water during this flooding season to facilitate them with water once the dry season returns to avoid having them trek long distances to fetch water.

The heavy rains will be accompanied by the risk of landslides especially in low-land areas and areas around riparian land.

Kenya has already witnessed the deaths of 132 people as a result of the floods according to Government spokesperson Cyrus Oguna.

“Residents are advised to avoid driving through or walking in moving water or open fields, and not to shelter under trees and near grilled windows to minimize exposure to lightning strikes,” MET added.

READ: Government To Release Ksh 200 Billion To Deal With Floods

“People in landslide-prone areas especially over the slopes of the Aberdare ranges, Mt. Kenya and other hilly areas over the western region should be on high alert,” warned the Weatherman.

Barely a week ago, since the West Pokot villages rocked by deadly landslides resulting in the deaths of over 50 people despite the residents having been warned to move to safer areas.

“We gave our advisory, asking people to keep off the highland areas until when the rains subside. Some of them heeded the advice but others unfortunately ignored,” West Pokot Director of Meteorological Services Wilson Lonyang’ole said.