Kenya and Tanzania are bracing for the arrival of Cyclone Hidaya on Thursday after torrential rains devastated East Africa, killing more than 350 people and forcing tens of thousands from their homes .
The floods, which have already claimed the lives of more than 188 people in Kenya since March, have also triggered the displacement of 165,000 people and 90 are missing, the Interior Ministry said. For its part, the government urged Kenyans to remain alert.
“The coastal region is likely to experience Cyclone Hidaya, which will bring heavy rainfall, large waves and strong winds that may affect maritime activities in the Indian Ocean,” announced the Office of Kenyan President William Ruto.
Neighboring Tanzania, where at least 155 people have died in floods and landslides, is also expected to feel the force of the cyclone.
“Cyclone Hidaya (…) is expected to impact weather conditions in the country, particularly with heavy rains and strong winds in certain regions close to the Indian Ocean,” the Tanzanian Red Cross declared on X .
Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, is among the territories expected to experience heavy rains over the next two days, the national meteorology department announced on the same social network.
Since the start of the rainy season in Kenya, heavy rainfall, amplified by the El Niño weather phenomenon, has caused devastating floods, leading to the destruction of roads, bridges and other infrastructure.
During the deadliest episode of these bad weather, dozens of people died during the night from Sunday to Monday when a natural dam in the center of the country burst due to the accumulation of rain.
– Stranded tourists –
In addition, around a hundred tourists were stranded on Wednesday by the flooding of a river in the famous Masai Mara national reserve, after heavy rainfall.
Emergency services evacuated 90 people by land or air from this reserve known for its rich wildlife, where lodges and camps dedicated to safaris were flooded.
The area nevertheless remains inaccessible for the moment due to the destruction of bridges, local administrator Stephen Nakola told AFP, adding that around fifty camps were affected by the floods.
Although no casualties have been reported, local communities living around the reserve have been forced to leave.
“Accessing Masai Mara is a nightmare at the moment and the people stuck there are really worried, they have no road to get out,” said Mr. Nakola, adding that they fear the outbreak of diseases transmissible through the water.
President Ruto announced on Tuesday that he had mobilized the army and ordered the evacuation of people living in risk areas.
Members of the opposition and civil society accused the government of unpreparedness in handling the crisis despite weather warnings and called for a declaration of disaster.
The United Arab Emirates has sent 80 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Kenya, Kenyan government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura said on Thursday on X.
-Advice for travelers-
The United States and the United Kingdom have issued travel alerts to Kenya, asking their nationals to exercise caution.
Several other East African countries are facing the devastating consequences of seasonal rains increased tenfold by El Niño.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres “is deeply distressed” to learn of the loss of lives in floods in Burundi, Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania and other parts of East Africa, said indicated his spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric.
In Burundi, at least 29 people have died and 175 have been injured since the start of the rainy season last September, the UN Office of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said.
More than 237,000 people were affected by the floods, which displaced 42,000 people, more than half of whom are women, according to the same Source.
In Tanzania, at least 155 people have died in floods or landslides.
El Niño is a natural weather phenomenon generally associated with global warming, which causes droughts in some parts of the world and heavy rains elsewhere.
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