Nairobi, Kenya
Hundreds of churches and humanitarian agencies in the East African nation are aiding families affected by major floods that have claimed 71 lives, displaced thousands of people, and uprooted thousands of homes, destroyed crops and other properties.
The World Meteorological Organization has said in a recent report that the ongoing El Niño rains that started in early October are expected to last until April, 2024. Many African countries, including Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, Burundi, and South Sudan, have been severely affected by heavy floods, resulting in a humanitarian crisis.
Passengers wade through flood water after getting evacuated from a public transport bus, following heavy rains in Kisauni district of Mombasa, Kenya, on 17th November, 2023. PICTURE: Reuters/Stringer
The heavy rains have displaced many people and have lost their livelihoods. Displaced families who left their homes without anything due to raging floods are now struggling to find food, shelter, clean water, health services, clothes, bedding, and other essential items.
Fr Fred Wafula, who oversees Catholic charity Caritas in the north-eastern Kenya diocese of Garissa, said residents in the region were suffering after their houses and properties, including livestock and household goods, were submerged in rain waters.
Wafula said the flash floods, mainly from major rivers caused by heavy rains, have threatened the normal livelihoods of the people who were slowly emerging from a devastating drought that left millions hungry and their livestock dead.
“We are urging families who are living in slope areas to take caution and move to higher grounds to avoid being swept away by the flood,” said Wafula, revealing that thousands of families have been displaced by the raging torrents, which has also caused much damage to roads posing a challenge in reaching out to the affected families.
The priest said the church has been reaching out to families affected by floods to distribute food items such as maize, beans, flour, cooking oil, sugar, green grams, and rice. Other essential supplies the church is distributing as part of the intervention include clean water, shelter, clothes, bedding, medical care, and healthcare services.
“We are helping the affected people as much as we can. But we need to find a permanent solution to these perennial droughts and floods,” said Wafula, appealing for more humanitarian assistance to reach out to more flood victims. “The people of northern Kenya suffer from two calamities – drought and floods, and we need to do something to help them.”
Pastor Zakaria Barasa, of the Pentecostal church in Mombasa, a coastal city in south-eastern Kenya, said the town and surrounding areas were experiencing heavy rains that have resulted in dozens of deaths and displaced thousands of families.
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Pastor Barasa said most of the affected families were taking refuge in the cold streets, and they urgently needed shelter, bedding, clothes, food, clean water, sanitation, and hygiene services. He said some of his congregants were visiting homes of those not affected by floods and well-wishers, urging them to donate “whatever they have” towards those affected by floods.
“The situation is so bad for most families here as the rain continues to pour down,” he said. “Many people are escaping floods without anything and have to start life afresh on the cold streets, in churches, or in schools. I am afraid and worried that children and women may be exposed to waterborne diseases if nothing is done to save the situation.”
People wade through flood waters along a street following heavy rains in Kisauni district of Mombasa, Kenya, on 17th November, 2023. PICTURE: Reuters/Stringer
Meanwhile, Barasa urged the government, humanitarian organisations, and other well-wishers to rescue flood victims by donating food and non-food items as they find a permanent solution to the perennial floods that kill and displace people when they occur.
“There are not enough resources to distribute to everyone displaced by floods, yet the number of people is huge, and they all need relief food and other essential items,” he said. “Whatever small one can contribute will help alleviate the suffering of flood victims.”
