El Nino: Over 4,000 tonnes of food items distributed in affected counties

 

The national government has distributed over 4,604.6 metric tonnes of food items as part of relief and recovery efforts in affected counties.

The food items comprise rice, beans, fortified flour and corned beef as well as 257 metric tonnes of assorted supplies and products dispatched by the Ministry of Health.

In an update from the National El Nino Emergency and Disaster Response Command Centre, the number of displaced households has been reduced to 15,208 across 79 camps from the initial 109,179 in 170 camps.

Additionally, Cholera Treatment Units have been set up in strategic health facilities while efforts are ongoing to restore damaged infrastructure including the repair of 7,878 affected schools ahead of reopening next week.

“Road repair efforts are ongoing, with notable progress on the Gamba – Witu road in Tana River County and Kona Punda – Mororo in Garissa County.”

At least 9,858 affected households have also benefitted from cash transfer programs from the The Hunger Safety Net Programme and humanitarian organisations.

The floods occasioned by El nino rains led to the loss of 174 lives including 133 adults and 41 children.

The Kenya Meteorological Department has released an extended forecast indicating sunny and dry conditions across most of the country until at least the end of January 2024.

However, specific regions including the Lake Victoria basin, Southern Rift Valley, South-Eastern lowlands, Highlands East of the Rift Valley, and South Coast region are expected to experience sporadic rainfall.

By

 Prudence Wanza