Kenya Red Cross is set to begin a cash transfer programme to over 750 households in Ganze, Kilifi county.
Those to benefit are the elderly and mothers with children below five years who are not in the state cash transfer program.
Each household will get Sh5,500 each for two months.
The humanitarian organisation will also give food rations to 500 households in Tana River county.
Kenya Red Cross Society Coast regional manager Hassan Musa said they have supplied 1,000 households with relief food in the Boni forest.
Musa who spoke to journalists in Malindi on Tuesday said so far over 75,000 households (350,000 people) have been affected by drought in the Coast region.
The manager said the number of beneficiaries is few compared to the number of people affected across the counties.
He said they would wish to reach out to everyone but for now, they target those hard hit and who require urgent intervention.
Musa hailed the state for declaring the drought a national disaster as more resources will be allocated for quick interventions, to curb deaths.
He also expressed optimism that school children who are unable to go to school due to hunger will get relief from humanitarian organisations and well-wishers.
The drought disaster has been worse this year because of the effects of climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Right now I cannot say there is anyone to blame as it is as a result of hard economic times," the manager said.
Musa warned that the situation might get worse by November if there will be no rainfall.
So far the counties hit by drought have experienced an increase in livestock deaths due to the drought.
"Right now there are no human deaths yet but we do not want to reach there," he said.
Musa said four counties have been most affected including Kwale, Kilifi, Tana River and Lamu.
Over 145,000 people have been affected in Kilifi, 20,500 in Lamu, 165,000 in Kwale and 107,000 in Tana River with numbers projected to rise.
The Red Cross official said about 6,000 cattle and goats have been lost in Kilifi and 3,000 in the Tana River.
He said drought victims also face acute water shortage and even though there are interventions, more needs to be done.
"In Boni forest, cases of Bilharzia have been reported, with over 45 people contracting the disease from drinking dirty water," he said.
About 80 per cent of water pans have dried up leaving humans and animals to share the remaining water sources.
In Boni forest, residents have suffered many tragedies, including insecurity due to al-Shabaab terror attacks, the Covid-19 pandemic and the current drought.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)
