Heavy rains have displaced 302 households in Tana River County after overflowing dams flooded villages and homes, the Kenya Red Cross has said.
The flooding has hit Tana Delta, where Tulu and Minjila dams overflowed on Wednesday night, sending water into residential areas and affecting thousands of people.
In a statement, the humanitarian agency said a further 3,156 households had been affected, with relief efforts under way to assist those displaced.
“Of the 302 displaced households, 175 have so far received food, tarpaulins and blankets from the county and national government, and the remaining families are expected to be reached soon,” the Red Cross said.
The agency said its teams remained on the ground, working with partners to assess the situation and establish the needs of affected families as the rains continued.
“Our teams remain on the ground alongside partners, assessing needs and standing with affected families as the rains continue,” it said.
The flooding has also spread to neighbouring Lamu County, where some homes in Hindi and Witu are experiencing rising water levels.
The downpours followed weeks of intense, summer-like heat and unusual dust storms in several parts of the country, before heavy rainfall was reported on Wednesday night.
The Kenya Meteorological Department had issued a severe weather alert covering October 24 to 28, warning that some areas could receive more than 20mm of rainfall within 24 hours.
The heaviest downpours were recorded towards the end of the alert period, between Monday and Wednesday night, triggering flooding in parts of the Coast region.
The latest developments come amid a delayed onset of the October–December short rains, with several parts of the country experiencing prolonged hot and dry conditions or receiving only patchy rainfall.
Although the anticipated El Niño-associated rains have yet to establish themselves in many areas, scattered showers and thunderstorms have started occurring in selected regions.
The situation in Tana River highlights the risks posed by sudden heavy downpours, particularly in flood-prone areas where overflowing water bodies can quickly inundate homes and disrupt livelihoods.
