Relentless rainfall, attributed to the El Niño phenomenon, has unleashed devastating floods in the Horn of Africa, particularly in Kenya, compounding the region's challenges after experiencing its worst drought in four decades. As of Friday, the Kenyan government has reported a grim death toll of 142, with over 460,000 individuals displaced and 37 counties grappling with the far-reaching consequences of the floods.
Local farmer James Bundi, whose livelihood depends on agriculture, painted a bleak picture of his inundated fields where he had planted chili peppers, tomatoes, and onions back in July. The crops, now completely submerged, symbolize the widespread agricultural devastation caused by the flooding.
One of the major waterways exacerbating the crisis is the Tana River, stretching nearly 1,000 kilometers. Overflowing its banks, it has submerged vast stretches of surrounding lands, including critical farmlands. The Ministry of Interior, in a sobering update on Thursday, revealed that 6,500 hectares of farmland along the Tana River in Garissa County alone have succumbed to the deluge, leaving farmers like Bundi with a disheartening wait for the receding waters.
Beyond the immediate human toll and displacement, the flooding has dealt a severe blow to the agricultural sector, disrupting food production and livelihoods. The submerged fields underscore the vulnerability of communities heavily reliant on agriculture, and the road to recovery seems daunting as the floodwaters persist.
Source: english.news.cn