Kenya Raises Emergency Alert as Rains Kill 194, Displace 100,000
Kenya Raises Emergency Alert as Rains Kill 194, Displace 100,000
(Bloomberg) -- Kenya raised its emergency alert level after floods and land slides from unusually heavy rainfall killed more than 190 people and displaced about 100,000.
Authorities plan to evacuate people in high risk areas in the eastern and coastal regions to at least 25 camps set up across the country, government spokesman Cyrus Oguna said on Twitter. At least two of the country’s biggest dams filled up for the first time ever after the rainy season started earlier this year, and the meteorological department warns that the above-normal downpours are likely to continue in parts of the country.
The disaster from waters gashing through homes and farms further stretches a government already dealing with economic shocks from the coronavirus outbreak, and a locusts invasion threatening food security. Kenya has confirmed 582 Covid-19 cases and 26 deaths.
The alert level, which shows risk to human lives, will remain elevated for probably one to two weeks as authorities monitor the situation, Interior Secretary Fred Matiang’i said on Wednesday.
©2020 Bloomberg L.P.