This archive report was first published on 4 October 2021.
Kenya Drought Worsens as Reduced Rains Predicted ¶
Published on October 4, 2021, the Kenya Meteorological Department has warned that the drought affecting millions of Kenyans in the north and Coast region is likely to get worse.
According to the latest forecast, the dry spell is expected to extend southwards, affecting counties in Ukambani and other regions in the Coast and Rift Valley.
Over 2.5 million Kenyans are currently facing acute food shortages, a situation that led President Uhuru Kenyatta to declare the drought a national disaster last month.
Several counties are battling starvation, with over 9,000 people in need of treatment for malnutrition in Marsabit and more than 200,000 others surviving on one meal a day in Kilifi.
The Kenya Meteorological Department's forecast for the October-November-December short rains season is bleak, with most parts of the country expected to experience depressed short rains that will start late and cease early.
Eastern region is expected to be the worst hit, with poorly distributed rainfall in time and space during the onset month of October and the peak month of November.
"In the month of December, sunny and dry conditions will prevail over several places as the season draws to an end," the forecast reads.
Divided into six zones, the met outlook is particularly bleak for Arid and Semi-arid lands (ASAL) areas, with no definite onset and cessation of the short rains in Turkana, Marsabit, Mandera, Isiolo, Garissa, Wajir, and Samburu.
Residents of ASAL counties are staring at acute water shortages for general and domestic use, with dams, water pans, and lakes likely to dry up.
The ripple effect will be escalation of human-wildlife and inter-community conflicts over the limited resources, with cases of malnutrition and food shortage expected to spike.
