OCHA Situation Report No. 6
Kenya: Floods
14 December 2006


SITUATION

1. The number of affected people by the floods in the several regions in Kenya 
is still estimated at approximately 723,000. This includes about 60,000 
displaced people in the coastal, western and eastern provinces of Kenya. The 
floods have destroyed and damaged considerable quantities of crops and 
farmland, provoking fears of renewed food insecurity in the affected regions 
over the months to come. The floods have destroyed thousands of latrines in the 
flood-affected areas increasing the potential for outbreaks of diarrhoeal 
diseases and malaria.

2. The prognosis for the coming weeks and months point to continued rains 
through early 2007, although with reduced intensity in most parts of country. 
The latest rainfall forecast by the Kenya Meteorological Department predicts 
that after a generally dry period in most parts of country, wet conditions are 
expected to resume again in most places.

3. The impact of the floods could be exacerbated by the possibility of a 
regional war centred on Somalia, where the Union of Islamic Courts and the 
Transitional Federal Government are fighting for control of the country.

4. Gaining access to delivering aid to affected populations remains a major 
challenge for relief agencies as, across much of Kenya, the rains have rendered 
roads impassable and knocked out bridges, so even when the rains stop, 
commercial and humanitarian transport will be halted until emergency 
road-repairs are completed. In general, road conditions for routes within the 
affected districts vary daily. This means that, in most cases, air logistics is 
the only practicable method to reach individual villages. People in cut-off 
communities are increasingly vulnerable, as most shops have run out of 
essential supplies. Food prices for basic commodities have increased, in some 
cases by over 200 %.

5. Due to access difficulties, many health workers cannot report to work and 
patients cannot get to health centres either. This leads to interruption of 
routine health care, especially for children, the elderly, pregnant women and 
other vulnerable populations. Due to previous droughts, people in the region 
have experienced severe food shortages and high rates of malnutrition. People's 
immunity is weakened, making them more vulnerable to diseases.

6. WHO reports that in Garissa district, which is one of the worst affected 
regions in Kenya, the number of medical consultations has tripled over the last 
week compared to the pre-flood period. The three leading reasons for 
consultations are diarrhoeal diseases, malaria and acute respiratory 
infections. Outbreaks of cholera, with deaths, have been reported in Moyale, 
Mombasa and Kwale and can be expected to continue in the near future.

7. The water and sanitation systems are disrupted and normal water sources have 
become unsafe for drinking due to the impact of floodwaters and other 
contaminants. WHO reported that in Garissa District people were forced to get 
water from contaminated sources, as the two litres of safe water per person per 
day that were available did not meet their basic needs. The recommended 
quantity is ten times more.

8. According to UNICEF, more than 180 schools with over 200,000 children have 
been affected in the Coast and North-Eastern Provinces, including the 
destruction of teaching and learning materials, collapsed walls and latrines 
and the loss of roofing material.

9. The experience of the 1997-98 El Nino floods indicates the serious risk of 
livestock diseases following the floods receding. Cases of Contagious Bovine 
Pleuro-Pneumonia (CBPP), Contagious Caprine Pleuro- Pneumonia (CCPP) and 
foot-rot have been reported to be on the increase by the Food and Agricultural 
Organization (FAO). Conditions are also favourable for an outbreak of Rift 
Valley Fever (RVF) especially among camels, sheep and goats, although no cases 
have so far been reported. In the past, this led to a ban on livestock exports 
from the region to Gulf States. Emergency intervention in the livestock sector 
needs to be put in place for such eventualities, which may have far reaching 
implications on livelihoods beyond this emergency period.

FLOODING IMPACT IN THE DISTRICTS

Coastal and North-eastern Province

10. The Flood Relief Coordination Centre (FRCC) in Garissa reported that 
assessments and visits to villages conducted on 7-11 December have covered 
outlying divisions of Garissa district and southwards along the Tana River into 
the delta area. Reports from these assessments indicate differing conditions 
and needs across the region that can be summarised as follows:

a. Garissa District and eastern Ijara District (Ijara, Sangailu and Hulugho 
divisions). Conditions vary across villages and IDP camps across the area. 
Availability of food and non-food items (NFIs) depends on the accessibility of 
individual villages to helicopter landing sites. Medical supplies are generally 
available within the divisions, but getting them to specific villages is 
problematic in many cases. Coping ability within communities appears relatively 
high compared with the population. Disease rates are in some cases above the 
normal levels for the rain season.

b. Tana River District and Witu Division (in Lamu District). Air reconnaissance 
indicates that conditions worsen considerably from a point approximately 40km 
north of Garsen, and into the river delta. Substantial numbers of villages are 
partly or completely flooded or cut off, particularly in Kipao and Galini 
sub-locations. Sample assessments indicate a wide range of needs including 
water purification (turbidity will make purification tablets ineffective), 
medical assistance, and NFIs. Farms have in most cases been completely flooded 
and many animals lost. Conditions are reported to be much worse than in the 
Garissa divisions, with poorer coping capacity.

11. During the week of 4 December, reports were received from two different 
sources (Kenya Red Cross Society and WFP) indicating that the conditions in the 
delta of Tana River District was deteriorating due to the flooding of villages 
and subsequent population displacement. To this effect, the Government of 
Kenya, Kenya Red Cross Society, UNICEF and WFP conducted an assessment on 8-9 
December in order to better gauge the geographical extent of the flooding and 
the specific needs on the ground. The main findings by sector include:

a. Access: From Hola through Wenje (Majango village) to Garsen (Nmanzini 
village), the population is only able to move by canoe to areas where services 
(markets and health centres) are provided. Considering the time it takes to 
reach the centres and in view of the small amounts that are transportable by 
the hand-made canoes, access is a critical issue. In the delta area of Garsen 
and Kipini, it was reported that Kipini division is covered in floodwater. 
Dozens of villages have been submerged and for the villagers, movement by canoe 
is the only mode of transport available. Although Bura Division (Matalaga 
village) and IDP camps along Witu and Garsen road can be accessed by road using 
a land cruiser or 6x6 trucks, women do not have easy access to markets. There 
are also no communication facilities, such as telephones, two-way radios or 
e-mail.

b. Food: From Hola through Wenje (Majango village) to Garsen (Nmanzini village) 
along the river-line, crops planted along the river have been washed away by 
the floods, which is problematic for medium-term food security. Available food 
for consumption was reported insufficient and food assistance will be required 
for the next two to three weeks. In the Delta area of Garsen and Kipini, relief 
food had reportedly not been provided in the villages assessed. In the Bura 
Division (Matagala village) food was not available in meaningful quantities for 
the displaced people and is therefore considered as one of the first priorities 
for the displaced.

c. Public health: In most of the villages visited, an increase in diarrhoeal 
illnesses, malaria and respiratory illnesses were reported. An outbreak of 
chicken pox was reported and some children with fresh lesions were seen by the 
assessment team. Several children with no access to health care were found to 
have fast breathing and fever in Matagala camp. The assessment team found the 
following risk factors for outbreaks: poor personal hygiene, consumption of 
contaminated water, challenges with faecal disposal, lack of shelter and 
exposure to cold temperatures especially at night for IDPs, lack of food and 
stress. Some of the health centres visited lacked health personnel and those 
with the personnel were lacking stocks of medicine.

d. Livestock health: Important current livestock diseases observed were worm 
infestations and skin mange. Under the current conditions, the herders and 
district authorities reported that tsetse flies and mosquitoes were noted to be 
increasing. This sent out fears that the transmission of trypanosomiasis and 
Rift Valley Fever would begin.

e. Water and Sanitation: In all of the areas visited, residents took their 
water directly from the river or the canals. There was no treated water 
available and few mentioned boiling water before drinking; the quality of the 
water is thus highly questionable. Few latrines were available in the visited 
location, but the usual method of defecation is in the bush. All people washed 
their hands after defecation, but only with water, as soap was not available.

f. Shelter: In the river zone, shelter was not a significant issue but it is 
likely that there are a couple of areas with higher IDP populations and in 
these areas shelter will be needed.

g. Recommendations: Due to the high risk of illness and disease and the limited 
benefit in gathering additional assessment information, priority goods (NFIs, 
medicine and food) should be distributed without delay.

Western Province

12. The Kenya Red Cross Society reported that in Budalangi, the collapsing of 
dykes on River Nyando has led to flooding, which has left more than 10,000 
people displaced. Some of these people have gone back to their homes while 
others continue to camp in safer places. According to an assessment done last 
weekend (9-10 December) by the Ministry of Water, the water levels have 
subsided, although uncontrolled flow of water continues in some places. Plans 
are underway to raise the dykes on the lower sections of River Nzoia once the 
rains stop.

NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE

Food and non-food distributions

13. WFP established an air operation in Garissa district. The two helicopters 
are currently serving Garissa, Ijara, and Tana River districts in food and NFI 
aid delivery according to the geographical priorities that have been agreed 
upon by the Kenya Food Security Steering Group.

14. By 10 November, WFP had distributed 3,741 MT of food to 268,483 people in 
six drought- and flood-affected districts of Garissa, Wajir, Tana River, 
Mandera, Isiolo and Kwale. In addition, airdrops started in Ijara District on 4 
December.

15. In Dadaab camps, WFP has so far distributed 4,235 MT of food to 158,411 
refugees. WFP is preparing to airdrop at least 2,000 MT of cereals, for 
distribution in January.

16. On 8 December, UNHCR, with the help of the US military, started an 
emergency airdrop operation of more than 240 tonnes of urgently needed relief 
supplies to the Dadaab refugee camps in eastern Kenya. The US military will use 
a C-130 cargo plane to airdrop the supplies, which include plastic sheets, 
blankets and mosquito nets. Altogether, fifteen rotations were planned between 
8 and 13 December. Arrangements have been made to secure the perimeter of the 
drop zone during the exercise.

17. UNICEF has NFI stocks in Nairobi and Garissa although the stock in Garissa 
is almost depleted. In Nairobi, the items include 125 containers of chlorine 65 
%, 1,700,000 chlorine tablets, 400,000 PUR (purification) sachets, 8 water 
testing kits, 8,000 jerry cans, 6,000 buckets, 830 blankets and 90,000 mosquito 
nets. NFIs in Garissa include 40 containers of chlorine 65 %, 200,000 chlorine 
tablets, 72,760 PUR (purification) sachets, 114 plastic latrine slabs, 949 soap 
boxes, 15 water tanks, 3,000 blankets, 2,000 tarpaulins and 28,600 mosquito 
nets.

18. UNICEF is currently distributing a total of 250,000 mosquito nets (LLTN) 
for children, pregnant women and displaced families in Garissa, Dadaab, Ijara, 
Tana River, Mandera, Wajir, Isiolo, Marsabit, Moyale, Turkana, West Pokot and 
Samburu.

19. During the week ending 9 December, UNICEF dispatched 20 water tanks to 
Garissa along with water fittings and accessories worth more than USD 180,000. 
Several emergency health kits were also dispatched including four emergency 
kits and four drug kits to Wajir, North-eastern Province (sufficient for 40,000 
people for three months) as well as five emergency kits to Turkana, Rift Valley 
Province (sufficient for 50,000 people for three months). A further five 
emergency health kits were dispatched to Isiolo, Marsabit and Moyale districts, 
serving a total of 50 000 people for 3 month.

Camp management

20. UNHCR has moved 7,000 of the most-affected refugees from Ifo to Hagadera 
camp, some 20 km away and moved a further 7,000 people to higher ground. A new 
site, called Ifo II is being developed on higher ground. A mass information 
campaign was launched in Ifo camp to inform refugees of the plans agreed with 
refugee leaders to relocate some shelters and services to Ifo II and to explain 
how, when and why this will happen.

Health

21. Due to the threats of malaria and cholera outbreaks, the Kenya Red Cross 
Society sent health teams to conduct assessments of the health impact in the 
affected areas. The national society is carrying out disease surveillance and 
hygiene education in the affected communities. Two adult dispensary kits, 
paediatric kits and intravenous (IV) fluid, amongst other medical items, were 
transported to Garissa to be used in the IDP camps. In addition, four normal 
tents, four hospital tents, and a rubb-hall store were also sent to the area.

22. A public health response team has been set up by the District Health 
Management Team (DHMT) in Garissa, which conducts mobile clinics in IDP camps 
every second day. Activities of the response team include treatment of minor 
ailments, immunization, nutrition screening, surveillance for epidemic-prone 
diseases and distribution of ITNs (insecticide-treated mosquito nets).

Coordination

23. MAP Action, a UK NGO supporting OCHA to establish a "Who does what where" 
database and a mapping exercise, has provided coordination and information 
management support via the Flood Relief Coordination Centre (FRCC) in Garissa. 
Their maps covering the Tana River basin are uploaded to www.mapaction.org and 
also available on Reliefweb (www.reliefweb.int). These maps include 
Who-What-Where maps of emergency response actors in the Tana River Basin, 
situation overview maps, "Landsat" imagery with roads and district boundaries, 
Tana River District Basin administrative boundaries, WFP delivery locations and 
IDP camps and flight coverage maps from Garissa.

24. On 13 December, the Kenya Food Security Steering Group has convened a 
special floods coordination meeting, which is chaired by the Office of the 
President. This is a weekly meeting aimed at streamlining coordination 
mechanisms. The Kenya Food Security Group, with support from FAO, will include 
the meeting minutes and assessments of the floods crises at 
http://www.kenyafoodsecurity.org/.

25. OCHA is in close contact with the humanitarian community in Kenya and will 
revert with further information as it becomes available. This situation report, 
together with further information on ongoing emergencies, is also available on 
the OCHA Internet Website at http://www.reliefweb.int.

Footnote

(1)  This report is based on information received from the United Nations 
agencies in Kenya as well as other humanitarian agencies, international NGOs, 
OCHA staff in Kenya and media sources.

Telephone: +41-22-917 12 34
Fax: +41-22-917 00 23
E-mail: ochagva@un.org

In case of emergency only: Tel.   +41-22-917 20 10

Desk Officers
  GVA - Mr. Alfred Nabeta
    E-mail: nabeta@un.org
    Direct Tel: +41-22-917 2240
  GVA - Mr. Christophe Schmachtel
    E-mail: schmachtel@un.org
    Direct Tel: +41-22-917-1684
  NYC - Ms. Olla Hassan
    E-mail: hassano@un.org
    Direct Tel: +1-212-967-4331

Press contact:
  GVA - Ms. Elizabeth Byrs, Tel. +41-22-917-2653
  NYC - Ms. Stephanie Bunker, Tel. +1-917-367-5126

OCHA Kenya
   Mr. Andrew Timpson
     E-mail: timpsona@un.org
     Direct Tel: +254-20-762-5155

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