•At the moment, 3.5 million Kenyans are in dire need of food, according to the National Drought Management Authority.
•The authority in its latest update said seven counties are in the alarm drought phase.
Image: WILFRED NYANGARESI
Rainfall will reach nearly the entire country this week, Met has said.
Stella Aura, the Meteorological Services director, warned of possible storms in most places.
She said temperatures will remain moderate.
The upsurge marks the end of a long dry period that began at the end of March and the proper onset of the long rains season.
“Isolated storms are likely to occur over some parts of the Lake Victoria Basin, the Highlands West of the Rift Valley, the Central and South Rift Valley, the South-eastern lowlands, the Highlands East of the Rift Valley, the Coast and North-eastern Kenya,” Aura said in a forecast that ends on Monday.
Afternoon and night showers accompanied by thunderstorms are expected over several places in Rift Valley highlands and around Lake Victoria.
This area comprises Kisii, Nyamira, Trans Nzoia, Uasin Gishu, Elgeyo Marakwet, Nandi, Kericho, Bomet, Kakamega, Vihiga, Bungoma, West Pokot, Siaya, Kisumu, Homabay, Busia, Migori, Baringo, Nakuru, Narok and Laikipia.
Central Kenya should expect cloudy mornings with occasional rains over a few places and showers in the afternoon and night.
The Coast will have morning, early afternoon and night showers over a few places, occasionally spreading to several places.
The rains will be experienced in the Northeastern counties of Marsabit, Mandera, Wajir, Garissa and Isiolo.
“Morning rains, afternoon and night showers, are likely to occur over few places,” Aura said.
This is a major relief for the counties, which are among areas where drought has been worsening.
At the moment, 3.5 million Kenyans are in dire need of food, according to the National Drought Management Authority.
The authority in its latest update said seven counties are in the alarm drought phase.
They are Marsabit, Mandera, Wajir, Samburu, Isiolo, Baringo and Turkana.
Garissa, Kilifi, Kitui, Kwale, Laikipia, Lamu, Meru (North), Nyeri (Kieni) and West Pokot, are in the alert phase
“Kajiado, Narok, Makueni, Taita Taveta, Embu (Mbeere) and Tana River are in normal drought phase,” the update said.
NDMA said two subcounties, Wajir East and Mandera East are in extreme vegetation deficit and need humanitarian assistance.
Mandera, Laikipia, Samburu and Wajir are in severe vegetation deficit.
The report said Baringo, Isiolo, Kwale, Marsabit, and West Pokot, are in moderate vegetation deficit.
This is attributed to the poor performance of the 2021 short rains and the late onset of the long rains season.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris