Prepare for tough times, Met. department says long rains have failed

Kenya is staring at another drought crisis in coming months following the failure of long rains expected in this month.

The meteorological department says the situation could be worse with rains expected in May likely to be at best depressed.

“We are expecting more drier conditions we’ll have isolated showers here and there, highlands, central and western parts of the country, the prevailing weather conditions that we are seeing currently and we expecting to see as we go towards the end of the month is the dry conditions and mainly sunny intervals,” says Chief Meteorologist Patricia Nying’uro.

Areas set be worst hit include the Rift Valley, the country’s bread basket, where farmers are already counting losses after the seeds they planted failed to germinate.

“Seeing such an important season lacking rainfall, we can only hope that we will be able to salvage the situation. But since we are not expecting any rainfall, the famine is expected to continue,” added Ms. Nying’uro.

She further says parts of Kisii and Kitale will enjoy some rains, but their weekly forecast starting Tuesday indicates high temperatures until Sunday.

“We might have some rains but it is not enough to salvage the season,” she adds.

According to the met department, the effects of climate change being felt underscore the importance of increasing forest cover around the country.

Already some 1.1 million Kenyans are facing starvation, with the numbers expected to increase in the coming months.