Following a deluge of heavy rains across various parts of the country on Friday evening, the Nairobi County Government has sprung into action and deployed emergency response teams to address the crisis as rains and flooding wrecks havoc in Nairobi.
Nairobi county emergency response teams were on Saturday morning deployed to Githogoro and Mukuru areas to address the aftermath of the downpour.
In an official statement released today, the county administration disclosed that the Nairobi County Rapid Response team is actively assessing the extent of the damage caused by the relentless rain.
The emergency team is led by Chief Officer Bramwel Simiyu, collaborating with the Kenya Red Cross. The team will be tasked with conducting a comprehensive assessment across the county.
Simultaneously, efforts are underway to deploy additional resources to mitigate the impact of the heavy rains as flooding wrecks havoc.
The intense rainfall disrupted daily hustles and livelihoods. The flooding havoc also submerged streets and compelled several businesses to temporarily close. Transport faced significant disruptions as roads became impassable, leaving motorists and commuters stranded in different parts of the city.
El Nino rains to persist through January
The devastating impacts of the El Nino related rains in the country have resulted in the tragic loss of 174 lives so far. This is according to the National El Nino Emergency and Disaster Response Command Centre.
The casualties include 133 adults and 41 children, highlighting the severe impact on both the young and old.
Not sparing animals, the floods also claimed the lives of 6,706 animals, predominantly goats and sheep. The agricultural sector faced substantial damage, with approximately 84,568 acres of crops damaged. This is estimated to caused damages amounting to Sh16.26 billion.
Counties severely affected by El Nino, such as Lamu, Tana River, Garissa, Mandera, Wajir, Homabay, and Kitui, are now at serious risk to food insecurity.
