The Kenya Coast Guard Service (KCGS) has stepped up preparations for potential flooding and other weather-related emergencies ahead of the anticipated El Niño rains.
The preparations are part of the government’s national contingency plan and will cover Kenya’s coastline, lakes and shared waterways.
The Kenya Coast Guard Service said it is strengthening its operational readiness to respond to risks linked to heavy rainfall, rising water levels, strong currents, flash floods and rough sea conditions.
The service said it is prioritising areas that have historically recorded high vulnerability to flooding and other weather-related emergencies.
KCGS is undertaking pre-deployment and asset-readiness measures, including inspection and servicing of patrol boats, inflatable rescue crafts and life-saving equipment.
Rescue vessels and response teams are being positioned in high-risk areas ahead of the peak rainfall period.
The service has also secured and stockpiled fuel reserves, emergency rations, medical kits and communication equipment to support sustained emergency operations.
To improve monitoring and coordination, KCGS has established a dedicated Maritime Disaster Response Joint Operations Centre at its headquarters in Mombasa.
The centre will provide 24-hour monitoring and maintain operational links with the National Disaster Operations Centre and the Kenya Meteorological Department.
The links will support timely sharing of weather, maritime and disaster-related information to guide response and deployment.
Based on historical flood patterns and vulnerability assessments, KCGS said it will concentrate personnel, vessels and other resources in coastal and marine hotspots as well as inland waterways.
Along the coast, particular attention will be given to the Tana River Delta and Garsen, where upstream runoff could cause severe flooding and disrupt key transport links.
The Lamu Archipelago is also a priority because island communities depend heavily on water transport and face increased risks during rough seas.
Vanga and Shimoni in Kwale County will also receive attention due to the vulnerability of low-lying estuarine areas to tidal surges and flash floods.
In Mombasa, Tudor and Port Reitz creeks will remain priority areas because settlements near water basins are exposed to flooding and related hazards.
KCGS will also maintain heightened preparedness around Kilifi Creek and the Sabaki River mouth, where increased river discharge could pose risks to communities and fishing vessels.
Inland, preparedness will cover the Lake Victoria Basin, particularly Kisumu, Homa Bay and Budalang’i. Rising water levels and backflow flooding could submerge landing sites and leave fishing boats and communities stranded.
Lake Baringo and Lake Bogoria will also remain priority areas because rising water levels could threaten infrastructure, displace communities and increase the potential for human-wildlife conflict.
At Lake Naivasha, preparations will focus on potential flooding affecting lakeside agricultural infrastructure and small-scale fishing vessels.
Further north, KCGS will maintain readiness along the Turkwel River and Lake Turkana, where flash floods from surrounding highlands could endanger communities living along the water banks.
As part of its engagement with wananchi, KCGS has issued a Maritime Security Alert to vessel operators.
The service has advised operators to maintain proper communication equipment and adequate safety gear while at sea as patrols intensify ahead of the monsoon season.
KCGS is also conducting joint flood-rescue simulation drills with the Kenya Navy, Kenya Wildlife Service and local divers at Diani Beach.
The exercises are testing interoperability, response procedures and the readiness of personnel and equipment for coordinated search-and-rescue operations during flooding and other emergencies.
The service said its preparations build on an established record of responding to maritime emergencies.
Since 2023, KCGS has responded to more than 1,500 maritime emergencies, including 424 rescue cases this year alone.
During floods that affected Ahero and Nyakach in March and April, KCGS officers evacuated 86 households, moved more than 200 livestock to safety and rescued more than 300 people.
KCGS said it will continue monitoring conditions across the country’s maritime and inland waterways and progressively adjust deployments according to weather forecasts, emerging risks and the evolving situation.
The government has urged members of the public, particularly communities living near rivers, lakes, the coastline and other water bodies, to remain vigilant.
It has also advised the public to follow official weather and safety advisories and avoid unnecessary movement on or near hazardous waterways during periods of severe weather.
