STORY: Kenya intensifies response to El-Nino floods as death toll climbs to 70
SHOOTING TIME: Nov. 25, 2023
DATELINE: Nov. 27, 2023
LENGTH: 00:03:19
LOCATION: Nairobi
CATEGORY: POLITICS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the meeting
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): WILLIAM RUTO, Kenyan President
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): WILLIAM RUTO, Kenyan President

STORYLINE:

Kenyan President William Ruto announced Saturday that the government will avail additional funds and deploy the military to bolster the response to raging floods linked to the ongoing El-Nino rains.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): WILLIAM RUTO, Kenyan President
"To make sure that adequate food is available, already 2.4 billion shillings (about 15.69 million U.S. dollars) has been made available to buy food and to make sure that that food is delivered where it is most needed. Adequate resources would be required and that's why this team is working on numbers so that we can mobilize the resources necessary."

The death toll from flooding has climbed to 70, Ruto said, adding that 36,160 households have been displaced as a result of torrential rains pounding the country.

"The ongoing rains have resulted in an emergency situation in the country. Trucks have been stuck with food, medicine, and fuel. Roads have been destroyed especially in northern Kenya," Ruto said.

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): WILLIAM RUTO, Kenyan President
"The security situation in the country has also been affected by inaccessibility of some areas. The national police service under the Ministry of Interior will work with different stakeholders and different members of the provincial administration to make sure that we secure the country even in this context."

According to the latest weather forecast from the Kenya Meteorological Department, the El-Nino rains could extend to January 2024 and are likely to cause havoc in urban centers and semi-arid lowlands.

Ruto said a multi-agency response team that includes the military will commence airlifting of food, clean water, medicine, and temporary shelter to flood victims.

He said that state departments, including water, energy, roads, and health, have been activated to monitor the situation and deploy emergency aid to households marooned by floods.

Ruto said the El-Nino rains were expected to intensify in the coming days, leading to landslides and overflow of dams and rivers while posing danger to communities downstream.

He appealed to residents of landslide-prone highlands to relocate to safer grounds, adding that communities living close to river banks would be evacuated to shield them from floods.

Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia are among some of the Horn of African nations that are currently grappling with severe flooding linked to the El-Nino weather phenomenon.

The three nations have just emerged from a prolonged dry spell marked by five failed consecutive rainy seasons which decimated crops, livestock, and livelihoods of civilians.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Nairobi.
(XHTV)