Kenya Meteorological Department on Monday, October 2, projected above-average rainfall in the next three months in most parts of the country.
According to the weatherman, rainfall is expected to start between the second and third week of October. Highlands West of the Rift Valley, the Lake Victoria Basin, Central, and Southern Rift Valley, rainfall is anticipated to continue from September.
Other areas expected to receive rainfall above average include the Lake Victoria Basin, the Central and portions of the South Rift Valley, the Highlands West of the Rift Valley, the Coast, North-eastern Kenya, and the majority of the South-eastern lowlands.
The Northwestern parts of the country, the Southeastern lowlands (Kajiado), and the Southern Rift Valley (parts of Narok) are likely to receive near-average rainfall.
In an interview with Citizen TV, Kenya Meteorological Department Director David Gikungu reiterated that the El Nino rains will indeed happen as anticipated.
Gikungu dismissed reports indicating that there will be no El Nino rains, terming the reports as misinformation.
“The El Nino is with us and the story about there being no El Nino is misinformation. El Nino is here,” Gikungu stated.
He added: “No two El Nino events are the same. They are never the same.”
Following the projections, the weatherman advised farmers to seize the opportunity to increase crop cultivation and pasture production in order to fully capitalize on the anticipated increase in precipitation.
At the same time, the weatherman has warned that flashfloods are possible in low-lying areas of the northern regions, the Southeastern lowlands, the Coastal region, parts of the Central and South Rift Valley, and inadequately drained urban areas.
Residents are advised not to seek shelter under trees or near metallic structures in areas where lightning strikes are common, such as the Lake Victoria Basin and Western parts of the country, particularly Kisii, Kisumu, Nandi, Kakamega, and Bungoma.
The country led by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua had started preparing for El Nino rains. Several counties including Nairobi led by Governor Johnson Sakaja had laid out plans in anticipation of El Nino.
Sakaja deployed newly employed county workers to unclog drainage systems and identify areas prone to flooding. Sakaja also identified areas where he needed the county would relocate residents for fear of flooding due to El Nino rains.
