This is the third time I’ve thought of writing about the most-anticipated Elnino rains. I mean, what if I wrote about it, then the next days, we woke up to flooded streets? I had to trade carefully. But it seems I can’t wait any longer.
So, should we still expect the Elnino rains? Maybe, and maybe not. Don’t get me wrong, I am also relying on the weatherman’s notes. But before anything else, let us throw it back to when last Kenya experienced Elnino rains.
A source indicates that the last time Kenya experienced this type of rain was in 1997. Thank God I was alive to witness. And if what we experienced back then is anything to go by, if at all the rains will happen, then expect heavy downpours and not-so-good flooding episodes.
Elnino is a weather phenomenon that happens every three to five years. The meteorological department has mapped that areas highly likely to be affected by these rains include Nyando, Nyakach, Gilgil, Narok, Lodwar, Lokichar, and lower areas of River Sondu in the Western Region.
Elnino rains are also likely to bring about landslides in areas with water-logged soils, including Kericho, West Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet, Narok, Murang’a, Baringo, Nakuru, and some parts of Makueni County.
Well, now that we have a brief background of what Elnino rains are and their potential effects, let’s go back to the main question. A few months ago, a source published that weather experts were still unsure as to whether October to December will be wet months.
In fact, the source mentioned that the weatherman will be certain that we could have heavy rains by mid-September. Well, it’s mid-October, and I think it’s even warmer than most Octobers. But let’s not throw in the towel yet.
Remember, even if the rains started towards the end of October, Nairobi County seems to be well prepared for the heavy downpour. The County Government assured Nairobi, residents, that it was well prepared for the rains, owing to the disaster response mechanisms that it has put in place.
The County Government shared that it’s working closely with development partners, including the Red Cross and the World Food Program, to stock up on food and non-food supplies. The government also mentioned that it will identify alternative accommodations within schools, halls, or churches in the event that the disaster intensifies.
But what seems to have caught the attention of most Nairobi residents is that the county government also plans to purchase boats and rafts in the next couple of weeks to help the rescue teams access flooded regions.
At the beginning of October, the weatherman insisted that the Elnino Rains would still happen. The rains are expected probably from this month towards the end of the year. Like most Kenyans, I am also torn between believing the weatherman or leaving my umbrella at home as I step out. But as we always say here, time will tell. So let us wait and see.
