Government says it is ramping up efforts to save lives and livelihoods as El Nino gains strength
The Kenyan government has confirmed that El Niño is firmly established and expects a wetter-than-normal season through February 2026. Environment CS Deborah Barasa warned of significant hazards, including flooding, landslides, and infrastructure damage, while emphasizing the need for better water management.
Why it matters
Proactive disaster preparedness is critical for mitigating the loss of life and economic damage caused by extreme weather events in vulnerable regions.
Environment CS Dr Deborah Barasa and PS Festus Ng'eno during a past event/File. The government on Wednesday announced that El Niño was firmly established and the possibility that it will spill over to February next year is 100 per cent.
Environment CS Deborah Barasa told the media at the Kenya Meteorological Service Authority that the October–November–December rainfall season will come with potential hazards.
“The potential hazards are clear: riverine flooding that can displace communities, destroy homes and crops, cut roads and bridges, and contaminate water sources; flash floods that strike with little warning and claim lives; urban flooding that inundates homes and businesses, overwhelms drainage and disrupts power and telecommunications; lake flooding and backflow that threaten lake shore settlements and fishing livelihoods; landslides and mudslides that bury homes and isolate communities,” Barasa said.
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