Devastating rains and flash floods have claimed at least 81 lives across Kenya this month, as downpours continue to batter the country.
Kisumu County has been particularly hard hit, with entire villages submerged and around 1,200 hectares of farmland destroyed, sweeping away crops and livestock.
The worst-affected area is Nyakach, where more than 3,000 families have been displaced after the Sondu Miriu River overflowed.
Local chief Seth Oluoch Agwanda said, “We have lost farmlands due to massive erosion… and many crops,” adding that residents have been moved to over eight evacuation centres. Residents reported being stranded in rising waters, with little access to shelter. Kennedy Oguta said, “There is no house that is not flooded,” while Sarah Akinyi Onyango added that families, including children, remain trapped.
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Flooding has also hit the capital, Nairobi, where 37 people have died, homes and infrastructure have been damaged, and other regions such as Kiambu and Kasaka have reported deaths and landslides. Authorities have urged residents to exercise “extreme caution” as forecasts predict continued rainfall.
Scientists warn that climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events in East Africa, with both severe floods and droughts expected to become more common.
