Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki issued a warning alerting residents of Garissa, Tana River, and Lamu counties to the looming threat of flooding.
This comes after the recent filling of the Seven-Forks hydro-electric dams, a development that has raised concerns about potential overflow.
According to Kindiki, as of Wednesday morning, the Seven-Forks Hydro-electric Power Dams reached capacity, with Masinga Dam, the largest and most significant among them, already experiencing spillage through its managed structural spillways.
This overflow, coupled with anticipated precipitation in the Tana River and River Thiba catchment areas, has heightened fears of the River Tana bursting its banks downstream, resulting in widespread flooding.
To address this imminent crisis, the Interior CS noted that the government has swiftly mobilized the Multi-Agency Disaster Management Team, originally established during the 2023 El Nino rains, to coordinate a comprehensive response effort.
Collaborating with entities such as the Kenya Red Cross Society and other national and international humanitarian agencies, the government aims to ensure a unified approach to monitoring the situation and implementing response initiatives.
Furthermore, County Security and Intelligence Teams have been instructed to work closely with local governments to monitor and report on unfolding scenarios. In cases where public safety is at risk, the government stands prepared to issue mandatory evacuation orders in specific areas to mitigate potential loss of life and property damage.
