Met warns Kenyans of heavy rains, floods from Monday
A motorist drives through a flooded road at Karama area in Tigania East. The Meteorological Department has told Kenyans to brace for heavy rains in the coming days. PHOTO | PHOEBE OKALL | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Heavy rainfall to be experienced in the South Rift and eastern lowlands.
- Kenyans advised to go to safe areas.
The Kenya Meteorological Department has warned Kenyans to brace themselves for heavy rains in several parts of the country.
Meteorological Services Director Peter Ambenje said that most parts of the country would from Monday experience increased rainfall, amounting to more than 40mm in the next five days.
WET SPELL
“Heavy rainfall of more than 40mm in 24 hours is expected from Monday over western, south and central Rift Valley and central Kenya, including Nairobi area. The rainfall will, however, not be as heavy as what was experienced in the recent wet spell,” Mr Ambenje said.
The heavy rainfall was likely to continue until next week over counties in the South Rift, south eastern lowlands, northern and central regions.
The counties that will receive heavy rainfall are Kisii, Kericho, Bomet, Narok, Migori, Kakamega, Kajiado, Nakuru, Kwale and Marsabit.
FLASH FLOODS
Others are Wajir, Isiolo, Turkana, Samburu, Nairobi, Nyeri, Kiambu, Murang’a, Kitui, Machakos, Makueni, Kwale, Kilifi, Mombasa, Lamu and Taita Taveta.
He warned people living in the urban areas to be on the lookout for flash floods. Mr Ambenje said flood waters “might suddenly appear in areas where it has not rained heavily, and can be deeper and faster-moving than it appears”.
LAKE BASIN
He advised the people to stay on safe grounds until the flooding eases.
“Do not walk in moving water or drive through it. Continue listening to the media as updates will be provided if conditions change significantly.
"Further advisories will be issued as we follow the progress of this weather event,” said the official.
According to the latest five-day forecast released in Nairobi on Friday, for March 10 to 14, counties in the Lake Victoria Basin, including Siaya, Kisumu, Homa Bay and Migori, will experience sunny intervals in the mornings, giving way to showers and thunderstorms over several places in the afternoons for the next five days.
HEAVY SHOWERS
Similar conditions will be experienced in Kisii, Nyamira, Trans Nzoia, Baringo, Uasin Gishu, Elgeyo-Marakwet, Nandi, Laikipia, Nakuru, Narok, Kajiado, Kericho, Bomet, Kakamega, Vihiga, Bungoma and Busia, with the afternoon showers relatively heavier in the South Rift (Narok) on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Counties in the central highlands such as Nairobi, Nyandarua, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Murang’a, Kiambu, Meru, Embu and Tharaka Nithi, are expected to experience morning rains from Tuesday, giving way to showers over several places.
COASTAL STRIP
South eastern lowlands of Kitui, Makueni, Machakos and Taita-Taveta will experience morning rains from Wednesday.
The northwestern counties of Turkana, West Pokot and Samburu are expected to experience sunny intervals in the mornings, with the possibility of rains in the afternoons from Wednesday.
A similar pattern has been forecast for the coastal strip covering Mombasa, Tana River, Kilifi, Lamu and Kwale. Marsabit, Mandera, Wajir, Garissa and Isiolo will experience sunny intervals, with showers only on the last day of the forecast.
