KeNHA issues advisory after floods submerge Kilifi roads

Kenya National Highways Authority has issued a traffic advisory following flooding in Kilifi county.

In an advisory on Friday, KeNHA said there is an overtopping at the Kwa Kadzengo swamp area in Kilifi about 7 kilometres from Mtwapa.

"This has been occasioned by the ongoing heavy rains across the country. The Road is currently impassable having been completely submerged over a spread of about 200m," Kenha said.

"The water is almost half a metre in depth."

The Authority urged motorists to exercise restraint and caution as they wait for the water levels to recede before traffic returns to normalcy.

"The area is currently under construction," the authority said.

KeNHA said the new road will be 1.50m higher than the existing one with four 1200mm twin culverts to be installed to balance water levels on both sides of the road.

"This will have addressed the perennial overtopping of these areas," they added.

Rains are expected to reduce slightly towards the weekend, easing rescue efforts in areas that are already flooding.

The Met Department's five-day forecast shows most places are likely to receive rain, but intensities may reduce slightly.

Only the North-western counties of Turkana and Samburu counties are expected to go dry, from Friday.

“Rainfall is expected to continue over most parts of the country,” the head of the Meteorological Department Dr David Gikungu said.

The El Niño developed rapidly during July-August and reached moderate strength by September, and is likely to peak as a strong event in November-January 2024.

El Niño occurs on average every two to seven years and typically lasts nine to 12 months.

It is a naturally occurring climate pattern associated with the warming of the ocean surface in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.

But it takes place in the context of a climate being changed by human activities.