After four seasons of failed rains, every corner of Kenya celebrated the onset of the long rains, which, according to the Met, was to end between May and June.
But even as the rainy season came as a relief with the hope of better harvests, there is a dangerous flip side that requires serious planning and preparedness.
The Met has announced, well in advance, that the long rains will gradually give way to El Niño, which will reach its peak in October.
Just about every part of Kenya has experienced one form of flooding and the effects of its aftermath. The normal long rains have brought displacement pain to families in Kisumu, Budalang’i, Mombasa, Homa Bay, Moyale and Isiolo.
Authorities must take the El Niño warning as a wake-up call to prepare for serious disruptions and displacement of large populations.
The El Niño rains of 1997-98 found the government unprepared. The deaths and financial losses were phenomenal.
This time there is no excuse for not preparing in advance.
Quote of the Day: “The future starts today, not tomorrow.”
John Paul II
The 264th Roman Catholic Pope was born on May 18, 1920
