State, counties urged to launch flood awareness campaigns

Both levels of government have been challenged to launch comprehensive flood awareness campaigns to bolster community preparedness and knowledge.

Speaking in Garissa town on Sunday, EALA MP Falhada Iman Dekow regretted that despite the Kenya Meteorological Department issuing a warning of impending heavy rains, the information was not acted upon.

The rains that have been pounding the region for the last five days have left at least five people dead in Mandera and Wajir counties.

Hundreds of families have been displaced with properties also destroyed as a result of the floods.

In Garissa and Mandera the destruction and displacement are a result of rivers Tana and Dauwa breaking their banks.

Irrigated farmland has also been affected with farmers left counting losses.

“What makes this even sadder and painful is that the Kenya Meteorological Department issued a warning at the end of August about the heightened rainfall expected between October and December 2023," she said.

"The weatherman laid bare with brutal clarity, projecting floods, loss of life and livestock, crop destruction, and the displacement of people among the impending catastrophes."

The department singled arid North Eastern Counties of Mandera, Marsabit, Wajir, Garissa, and Isiolo, marking them as high-risk and particularly vulnerable areas.

She hit out at counties for not doing enough in terms of preparedness challenging them to collaborate with the national government to ensure that every Kenyan is informed about the impending rains.

"One might have hoped, that with the introduction of a county system of government, our level of preparedness would have matured significantly. Unfortunately and regrettably,  it appears we are still fumbling in the dark, unsure of what to do,” she said.

She further called on the government to prioritize the establishment of flood-resistant infrastructure for the long term, capable of withstanding the heavy rainfall in flood-prone areas during El Niño seasons.

“There should be a strong focus on reforestation and afforestation, particularly in regions where people reside on cliffs and hills to mitigate the risk of landslides,” she said.

On Sunday, Northeastern regional commissioner John Otieno said that the government has put in place joint measures across the region to assist residents who are grappling with the Devastating Floods.

He said the joint effort will see partners and stakeholders work closely to coordinate resources and provide assistance to the affected communities.