Over 3,000 animals have died following the worsening drought in the Coast region, the Kenya Red Cross Society said on Wednesday.
The drought, occasioned by minimal rainfall for the past two years, has also adversely affected over 350,000 families in the four counties of Lamu, Kilifi, Tana River and Kwale.
Speaking to the Star, the Kenya Red Cross Coast regional manager Hassan Musa said Tana River has registered the highest number of animal deaths at 1,500.
It is followed by Kilifi (1,097), Lamu has 305 and they are still compiling data for Kwale.
“The situation on the ground is getting worse every day. If the rains fail to come completely, we will continue losing more animals,” Musa said.
In terms of families that have been affected by drought, Musa said, over 20,000 in Lamu are languishing in hunger. And 10,045 in Kilifi and 1,007 in Tana River are also suffering.
Kenya Red Cross said the pastoralists in the four counties of the Coast that have been affected by drought are moving to other regions in search of pasture and water.
“In the affected four counties, about 80 per cent of the water sources have dried up. The remaining 20 per cent water sources are not clean and if the situation persists, there could be an outbreak of waterborne diseases,” he said.
He added the water sources are also shared by residents and wildlife, hence the danger of human-wildlife conflicts.
Musa urged the National government and other stakeholders to support the pastoralists community by buying the animals to avert further losses.
“The government should buy these animals. The money will go a long way in helping the affected families,” he said.
He also urged the national government to support the vaccination of animals and the supply of water and relief food.
“The affected counties need medical outreaches and if the situation persists, the numbers of affected families will increase,” Musa said.
So far, the Kenya Red Cross has been able to help 1,500 families in the Boni Forest of Lamu county with relief food.
In Kilifi county, about 750 families have benefitted from the cash transfer programme from the Kenya Red Cross, according to Musa.
“Apart from the cash transfer to families in Kilifi, we have also distributed two-month food relief to about 500 households,” he said.
In Tana River, Kenya Red Cross has helped 500 households.
In Kwale, an assessment is being done to identify affected families and how they can be helped.
Musa said if there will be no rain in October, the situation will worsen in November.
-Edited by SKanyara
