The government has mobilized response efforts as heavy rains wreak havoc around the country. Several parts of Kenya are dealing with the devastation caused by the country’s relentless downpours over the last week.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki, in a statement laid out the government’s response to the crisis.
“Following a Directive by the President, the National Disaster Operations Centre (NDOC) at the Interior Ministry has this morning stepped up the coordination of multi-agency response interventions of relevant government ministries, departments, and agencies, as well as humanitarian organizations to offer support to affected persons,” Kindiki said.
The National Police Service (NPS) has been tasked with organizing search and rescue operations on both land and air. Furthermore, the Kenya Coast Guard Service (KCGS) has been urged to step up its response efforts to help individuals in vulnerable coastal communities.
Kindiki stressed the significance of preventive measures stating, “The Meteorological Department and Road Agencies issue regular public advisories on regions likely to be hit by torrential rain. Motorists and pedestrians are asked to avoid unsafe behavior in flooded or excessively damp areas. To safeguard people’s safety, county security teams have been directed to work with county government authorities. This is to enable the mandatory evacuation of persons in danger. The government, working with development partners, has deployed both food and non-food items to assist individuals displaced by the floods.“
“The public is urged to cooperate with safety, health, risk, emergency, and communication teams dispatched to monitor, report, and oversee help to those who may be in distress,” he noted.
