Kenya, Tanzania brace for Cyclone Hidaya as flood death toll rises
Al Jazeera
Kenyan government orders mandatory evacuations for residents near 178 dams and water reservoirs in 33 counties.
Kenya and Tanzania have been bracing for a cyclone on the heels of torrential rains and floods that have devastated East Africa, killing nearly 400 people and forcing tens of thousands from their homes.
Cyclone Hidaya is inching closer to the eastern coast of Tanzania, with an expected landfall later on Friday, according to the latest weather forecast. It is also likely to bring more rain to neighbouring Kenya, including in the major coastal city of Mombasa, just north of the eye of the cyclone.
“Crucially, the coastal region is likely to experience Cyclone Hidaya, which will result in heavy rainfall, large waves and strong winds that could affect marine activities in the Indian Ocean,” the office of Kenyan President William Ruto said.
Floods in Kenya have already claimed at least 210 lives since March, according to updated tolls from the Ministry of Interior and National Administration on Friday. It said 125 people have been injured, 90 are missing, and 165,500 people are displaced.
Ahead of the expected cyclone, Ruto’s government also ordered mandatory evacuations for residents near 178 dams and water reservoirs in 33 counties, and the government warned citizens to remain on alert.
