“The water will come back.†– Words from Kenyan residents that fear the months of rain that lie ahead. Thus far, the country has seen record-breaking rainfall patterns, which has led to countless devastation in rural communities across the country. The floods have displaced residents from their local communities and created a need for housing in some of the most vulnerable rural areas in the country.
While it’s better to be optimistic than worry about the rain to come in the forthcoming months, it’s equally clear that Kenya’s rainfall is just getting worse with each passing year.
There’s nothing against more rain in any country. The entire world can use a little, or a lot, of extra freshwater. However, when it rains so much that roads become blocked or one of the country’s number one food source gets compromised, it’s quite difficult to imagine how communities that already struggle, will survive. Lake Victoria, a large body of water shared among Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, have reached the highest water level ever recorded in May, which has jeopardized the banks of towns and villages.
Existing Damage Predicted to Become Even More Extensive
By the use of a short nylon line, sharp hook, and a thin stick, the local fishermen are struggling to make their catch of fish for the day, only being able to catch one small fish a day.
As opposed to catching dozens of fish daily previous to severe weather conditions, households find themselves going to bed without food on most days. Due to the severity of the matter, climate experts have forecasted the future outcome of rainfall in the country and have stated that the frequency of continuous extreme weather events will continue to increase. This will lead to increased rainfall conditions in what appears to be already saturated regions in the country. Apart from interfering with the catch of the day, a large majority of residents also don’t have jobs and have nothing left but a memory of their flooded homes. This has also led residents to live in local schools.
