The United Nations has deeply distressed to hear of the hundreds of lives lost and many others affected by heavy flooding in Burundi, Kenya, Somalia and Tanzania and other parts of East Africa.
UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres who in a statement released on Wednesday made this known extended his condolences to the Governments and people of the countries affected, especially the families of those who have died or been injured in this disaster.
Adding that the United Nations and partners are working closely with national authorities to address humanitarian requirements while the Secretary-General stressed that the UN stands ready to offer additional assistance at this difficult period.
The Secretary-General who behalf of the Organisation is extremely concerned about the impacts of El Niño-triggered extreme weather, which risk further devastating communities and undermining their livelihoods.
It was reported that Flooding and heavy rains in Kenya have killed at least 70 people since mid-March, according to a government spokesperson, twice as many as were reported earlier this week.
Kenya and other countries in East Africa — a region highly vulnerable to climate change — have been lashed by severe downpours in recent weeks.
Fifteen people were killed in the Rift Valley region, the government also said in a report on Friday, following a meeting of the country’s disaster response committee.
More than 120,000 people have been displaced by the floods, the report said, with 22 others injured and eight reported missing.
The government has proposed 3.3 billion Kenyan shillings ($24.5m) for an “initial emergency response”, which includes repairing infrastructure, emergency housing and food assistance.
Sixty-four public schools in Nairobi – nearly a third of the total number in the capital – have been “substantially affected” by the flooding, said Belio Kipsang, the principal secretary for education.
However, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua said that “the schools will reopen as scheduled” following the mid-term holidays this month.
Kenyans have been warned to stay on alert, with more heavy rains forecast across the country in coming days as the monsoon batters East Africa.
In Tanzania, 155 people are reported to have died in flooding and landslides, with 236 others being injured. Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa said that the El Nino climate pattern has worsened the ongoing rainy season, causing the flooding and destroying roads, bridges and railways.
In Burundi, more than 200,000 people are affected. In Somalia, the “Gu” rains (from April to June) are intensifying, with flash floods reported. Uganda has also suffered heavy storms that have caused riverbanks to burst, with several hundred villagers displaced.