•Kenha staff have been on the ground monitoring the water levels the whole day.
•To ensure the safety of motorists and the public, Kenha provided detour routes.
Image: Screengrab
The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has closed the Kisii Highway in the Kaplong-Kisii area.
In a statement on Saturday night, Kenha said that the closure was necessitated by heavy rainfall that had been witnessed in the area.
The severe weather is said to have rendered the Mugeni region, situated between Sotik and Chebilat, inaccessible and forced the highway's closure.
The heavy downpour caused flooding of the road at Kiposonoi Rover Bridge forcing Kenha to act.
“Water levels have risen above the bridge rendering passage unsafe,” the authority warned.
As a result, Kenha staff have been on the ground monitoring the water levels the whole day.
They were also guiding motorists on the safe crossing sections.”
To ensure the safety of motorists and the public, Kenha provided detour routes.
Vehicles heading towards Chebilat and Keroka were advised to take the Kaplong-Sotik-Roret-Ikonge-Chebilat-Keroka Road.
Although this alternative is longer, it has been well-maintained for smooth travel.
Those traveling to Kisii had to use a diversion via the Kaplong-Sotik-Roret-Ikonge-Kisii route.
In its latest weather forecast for next week, spanning January 14–20, 2023, the Met department has predicted that rainfall is expected over Western Kenya, the Lake Victoria Basin, the Central Highlands, which includes Nairobi, the Southeastern Lowlands, and the Coast region.
However, most parts of Northeastern and Northwestern Kenya are likely to be generally dry,the Met forecast shows.
"Rains are expected to occasionally spread into the counties of Isiolo and Samburu. The northern parts of Turkana may experience light rainfalls on Monday and Tuesday," Met said.
The seven-day forecast further shows that isolated storms are likely in parts of the highlands east of Rift Valley, including Nairobi County, South Rift Valley and Southeastern Lowlands.
The Ministry of Environment and Forestry weather outlook for January 2024, indicates that Highlands East of the Rift Valley and Central Kenya are likely to experience occasional rainfall with some breaks during the month.
The rainfall is likely to exceed the long-term average amounts received during the same month in other years.
During the just-ended October-November-December Seasonal Rainfall, some counties were among the counties that were affected by landslides and mudslides.
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development Climate Prediction and Applications Center said the greater part of the Horn of Africa is expected to receive heavy rains between January and March 2024, with the weather pattern following recent El Nino rains.
The weatherman identified more than 30 counties expected to receive rain this month.
These include a few areas in western Kenya, especially those around the Lake Victoria basin (Siaya, Busia, Kisumu, Homa Bay, Migori, Kisii, Nyamira, Vihiga, Kakamega and Nandi), southern Rift Valley (Bomet, Kericho, Narok), and the south-eastern lowlands (Kajiado, Kitui, Makueni, Machakos and Taita Taveta).
The others are the highlands east of the Rift Valley (Nairobi, Nyandarua, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Murang'a, Kiambu, Meru, Tharaka Nithi and Embu) and the coastal region (Kwale, Mombasa, Kilifi, Lamu and the Southern parts of Tana River).