For the past week, Kenya has been battered by constant rain. The Kenyan Meteorological Department stated that the country would expect around 44 millimeters of rain for the following three weeks (as of November 24). The rain so far has displaced thousands due to floods, and has killed an estimated 29 people.
Unpredictable Weather
The weather system known as the Indian Ocean Dipole is making the flooding in the area worse. This weather system occurs when the Western parts of the Indian Ocean become severely warmer than the Eastern parts.This warming of the ocean off the East coast of Kenya causes increased evaporation, leading to more rain which contributes to the flooding. This part of the Indian Ocean has seen a record breaking temperature increase as of late.
Response by Authorities
The Red Cross confirmed flooding reports on November 23, stating that response teams had been mobilized. The Kenyan Government has also deployed military and police forces to assist the populace. Both the Red Cross and the Government are working hand in hand in order to facilitate these evacuations.
Some areas are completely cut off due to the floods, meaning that those residing there have no access to food, water, and medical assistance. This makes access by Red Cross and Government personnel difficult.
There is no way of predicting when the flooding will end, and alas the rains don't seem to go away any time soon.
For more information, visit: https://reliefweb.int/report/kenya/kenya-red-cross-responds-humanitarian-emergency-following-deadly-floods
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