Kenya: At Least 315 Dead and 38 Misssing Persons Due to the Heavy Rains
Rescue Personel saving a Woman in kenya, June 2024 Photo: @kobotoolbox
June 20, 2024 Hour: 2:32 pm
Rainfall and flooding have exacerbated socio-economic inequalities in the country.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) confirmed on Thursday the death of 315 people, 188 injured and 38 missing in Kenya due to heavy rains that hit the African country since last March.
According to an OCHA report from data from the National Disaster Operations Center (NDOC), more than 306,520 people, members of 61,304 families, have been affected by heavy rainfall between March 1 and June 18.
Data from the Ministry of Education last June 10 indicate that 350,000 students do not attend school due to flooding and lack of school meals, since classes resumed on May 13, 2024.
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Kenya: 37 Mln USD to Help Refugees, WFP
Meanwhile, the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) released $3 million to help 190,000 residents in ten counties in Kenya.
On the other hand, the National Meteorological Department reported that, after the rainy season, it is estimated that «rain above average» will occur between June and August in some areas, such as the basin of Lake Victoria or the Rift Valley, in the west and northwest of the country.
As a result of the floods, 18 health centres in six counties are inaccessible. In addition, reports dated to June 18 record 79 cases of cholera from contaminated waters.
The long rainy season (March-May) has been intensified this year by climate change.
This year climate change has had a significant impact on the long rainy season (March-May) leaving at least 473 dead and more than 400,000 displaced in East Africa, mainly in Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and Somalia.
Autor: OSG
Fuente: EFE-Africanews
