Flood Crisis in Mandera Intensifies, Urgent Assistance Required

Flood Crisis in Mandera Intensifies, Urgent Assistance Required

As the flood crisis in Mandera intensifies, the local population endures severe repercussions. The flood aftermath presents a grim picture of displacement, impassable roads, and a dire food scarcity due to inaccessibility. The situation has escalated to the point where people are suffering from starvation, urgently needing assistance and relief efforts.

The Grim Reality

The drought situation continues to affect various livelihood zones, including the North Western, Northern, North Eastern, South Eastern, and parts of the Coast, impacting households’ food availability and livestock productivity. The 2015 Long Rains Assessment indicates that approximately 1.1 million people are acutely food insecure, unable to meet their basic dietary requirements, and require immediate food assistance for the next six months.

The Ongoing Crisis

The National Drought Management Authority’s early warning bulletin indicated that many parts of the Arid and Semi-arid Lands (ASALs) are experiencing long distances between home and water sources, unusually high food prices, and alarming levels of malnutrition. Following at least two consecutive poor rainy seasons, Crisis IPC Phase 3 outcomes were expected through early December in areas of Turkana, Marsabit, Mandera, Wajir, Isiolo, Garissa, Tana River, Samburu, and Laikipia, urgently requiring humanitarian assistance.

The Response

The Interior Ministry assured that Kenya Defence Forces and their counterparts from the National Police Service were on standby in areas worst hit by the ongoing heavy rains. Disaster response and security teams have been activated, identifying locations likely to be marooned in respective flood-prone counties through aerial and ground reconnaissance. The effects of this phenomenon are predicted to last until April 2024, with rains likely to increase in Nairobi, Kitui, and other highland areas in the coming week.