Kenya: Humanitarian impact of heavy rains and flooding - Flash Update #2 (20 November 2023)
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HIGHLIGHTS
• Rainfall continued to intensify in the Coastal strip, in some areas of the Central Highlands, Southeast lowlands, several areas of Northwest and Northeastern Kenya areas and spread to Nairobi and the western regions of the country, in the first two weeks of November.
• More than 60 people have died and an estimated 136,025 people (27,205 households) displaced due to flooding in the country as of 19 November, according to authorities.
• The areas most affected to date are in the northeast including Garissa, Mandera and Wajir.
• Humanitarian partners are working with the Government to respond to the floods and have so far reached some 950,000 people with food assistance in affected counties.
• Initial needs assessment in the most affected areas have been undertaken by humanitarian partners which have guided response for the displaced and management of risks related to disease outbreaks as well as bolstering ongoing efforts to support food security and nutrition.
• El Niño preparedness and response plan to guide multi-sectoral response efforts in the health sectors has been developed. An El Niño taskforce, led by the Ministry of Health (MoH), was activated and weekly coordination meetings are underway.
SITUATION OVERVIEW
More than 60 people have died and an estimated 136,025 people (27,205 households) were displaced due to flooding in the country as of 19 November, according to Government authorities. The third and fourth weeks of October marked the beginning of the heavy rains (the peak of which is expected from October – December as the El Niño and Positive Indian Ocean Dipole events progress in the region). This has been characterized by heavy storms that caused flooding, particularly along the Coastal strip, in some areas of the Central Highlands,
Southeast lowlands, several areas of Northwest and Northeastern Kenya. Rainfall intensified in these areas and spread to Nairobi and the western regions of the country, in the first two weeks of November. The areas most affected to date have been in the northeast; Garissa, Mandera and Wajir in particular.