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The CS said the government is on high alert following the significant risk posed by flooding in various parts of the country due to heavy rains.
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He called on Kenyans to exercise caution, plan their movements and avoid risky behaviour around moving waters.
Image: HANDOUT
The government has warned that Tana River is on the brink of bursting its banks with a high likelyhood of causing flooding downstream.
Interior CS Kithure Kindiki said areas likely to be affected include Garissa, Tana Delta and Lamu.
The CS said the government is on high alert following the significant risk posed by flooding in various parts of the country due to heavy rains.
He called on Kenyans to exercise caution, plan their movements and avoid risky behaviour around moving waters.
Kindiki said the Seven-Forks Hydro-electric Power dams were full to capacity as of Wednesday morning.
He said Masinga Dam, which is the first, largest and most consequential of the dams, is already spilling through the structural spillways.
The CS, however, said the Masinga Dam does not present obvious spillover effects into the cascade dams of Kamburu, Gitaru, Kindaruma and Kiambere.
"This notwithstanding, any further precipitation is likely to cause the spillover to cascade to the other dams with greater flooding effects being likely in the settlements contiguous to the last dam Kiambere," he said.
Kindiki further warned that areas along the lakes and rivers, low-laying areas and places with poor drainage across the country are prone to flooding.
Communities living along lakes and rivers in Western Kenya areas of Homa Bay, Siaya, Busia, Nyando, Nyakach and Muhoroni are likely to experience flooding.
Other low-lying areas at risk of flooding are Migori, Kakamega, and Vihiga if the quantity of daily precipitation increases beyond the prevailing levels.
Other flooding hotspots are Narok, Kajiado and Mombasa.
Kindiki added that hilly areas traditionally prone to mudslides include Makueni, Nyeri, Murang’a and West Pokot Counties.
Kindiki said the weather forecast for the ongoing long rains presents the potential for flooding.
The CS directed the County Security and Intelligence Teams across the country to work with county governments to monitor and report situations.
Kindiki said they will also support the interventions of stakeholders to ensure the country mitigates against loss of human or livestock life and the destruction of public or private property.
"Should the situation demand, the government will issue mandatory evacuation orders in specific areas in the interest of public safety," Kindiki added.
On Wednesday, the National Disaster Operations Centre (NDOC) at the Ministry of Interior and National Administration reconvened the Multi-Agency Disaster Management Team.
The team was established during the 2023 El Nino rains to ensure a coordinated, whole-of-government approach to monitor and organise government response programmes.