Climatologists cite unplanned growth, rapid urbanisation as key drivers of flooding » Capital News
KISII, Kenya, May 31 — Climate Scientists have warned of continued heavy flooding in East African cities due to unplanned growth and rapid urbanisation.
Heavy rainfall is projected to increase in East African cities due to double pressure from rapid urbanisation rates and changing climate risks.
The findings are part of a study by an international team of leading climate scientists from the World Weather Attribution (WWA) group released recently.
Kenya and Tanzania have experienced extreme rainfall that has led to destructive floods which climate scientists have attributed to climate change.
Joyce Kimutai from the Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD) said the analysis of drivers of flood risks and impacts in Kenya, Tanzania, and Burundi reveals the critical role of land use management, urban planning, adaptation and disaster risk management.
Urbanisation compounds these risks, as rapid and unplanned growth in cities like Nairobi and Dar es Salaam results in vulnerable informal settlements lacking adequate infrastructure, increasing flood susceptibility.
“The recurrent flooding in capital cities demonstrates the pressing need for improved urban planning and resilient infrastructure,” Kimutai said, commenting on the findings.
Devastating floods
In April 2024, Kenya experienced devastating floods that killed nearly 300 people and displaced over 150,000 people in Kenya, destroying infrastructure and crops and killing livestock and wildlife.
A dam burst on 29 April in Nakuru County killing at least 50 people, among them 17 children. By the end of April, the government reported the loss of over 4,824 livestock with 27,717 acres of croplands damaged.
Floods also impacted 264 small businesses and 24 schools adversely affected leading to the delayed reopening of schools for the second term.
In Tanzania, weeks of rainfall in March and April resulted in 155 deaths and a further 200,000 people adversely affected.
Floods also caused massive damage weeping away houses, roads, bridges, schools, and farmland.
Statistics showed flooding impacted every capital in Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania and the economic capital in Burundi causing deaths, displacement, destruction of critical infrastructure and widespread concern of spreading infectious disease.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) predicts above-normal rainfall over most parts of the greater horn of Africa for June to September.
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