Flooding: CS Kindiki deploys Kenya Coast Guard Services to affected areas
By Winnie MabelThe Cabinet Secretary for the Interior and National Administration has deployed the Kenya Coast Guard Services to several parts of the country severely affected by heavy rains and flooding. The Coast Guard are part of a multiagency response team deployed as part of the government’s intervention.
In his Thursday, April 25, 2024, statement, CS Kindiki said all this was in response to a directive issued by President William Ruto on April 24, 2024- a move that came several days later after hundreds of thousands of Kenyans endured flooding without any government response. This directive also came after the opposition called on President Ruto to declare the floods a national disaster.
“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. 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,” said CS Kindiki.
The response teams, in addition to the Kenya Coast Guard Services whose mandate is to “strengthen and enhance enforcement of laws and regulations applicable in Kenya´s territorial and inland waters”, are the National Police Service who will coordinate search and rescue operations by land and air and the Kenya Red Cross who will supplement their measures.
Additionally, the Meteorological Department and Road Agencies were tapped to provide regular advisories on areas likely to be affected by torrential rain. The County Security Teams across Kenya were also directed to work with County Government officials to ensure compulsory evacuation of those at risk.
“The Government and its development partners have mobilized food and non-food supplies to support the displaced. All available financial and human resources as well as public equipment are being deployed to mitigate the adverse effects of the raging waters on life, livestock, crops and property,” continued SC Kindiki,
Motorists and pedestrians were also urged to stop any risky behaviours in flooded and overly wet areas.
For the past few weeks, Kenya has been experiencing heavy rainfall that has seen several counties experience severe flooding with rushing waters.
So far, reports have it that tens of Kenyans lost their lives in the flooding, with a large number being reported out of Mathare Constituency in Nairobi County. Properties worth millions of shillings continue to be destroyed and roads rendered impassable across the country.Those affected continue to be directed to relocate to higher ground among other safety measures issued by the Kenya Red Cross.
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