Heavy rains fail to end drought
2006-03-09 09:52
Nairobi - A week of heavy rains in Kenya has failed to end the danger of large-scale drought-related starvation, say officials on Wednesday.
Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD) said the March to May rainy season would produce less precipitation overall than originally expected.
About 3.5 million people in Kenya depended on food aid because of drought. World Food Programme (WFP) chief James Morris said the numbers might increase in coming weeks.
KMD deputy chief William Nyakwada said: "Despite the rains... It is too early to talk about the end of the drought... Overall, we're still in for a bad time."
National disaster
Last week, heavy rains fell on the capital, but not in the north of the country or large swathes of coastal regions that had been hardest hit by the drought, which President Mwai Kibaki in January declared a national disaster.
Reduced water levels in the main reservoirs and dams had compelled authorities to start rationing water in Nairobi.
According to the department: "The current drought is more severe at most locations than the droughts of 1984, 1999, and 2000", in which there was widespread crop failure.
At least 40 people had died in northern Kenya, and cattle, camels and donkeys were also dying at an alarming rate amid acute food shortages threatening at least 11 million people across the Horn of Africa.
Livestock, wildlife
KMD director Joseph Mukabana said: "The continued drought conditions would impact negatively on the sectors of agriculture, livestock, wildlife, hydropower generation and water supply among others.
"The current efforts to address the severe drought may therefore look into sustainable intervention measures beyond May 2006 in some parts of the country.
"Some of the current intervention measures may go beyond December 2006 in some parts of the country."
Mukabana warned of possible bush fires and an overall impact on wildlife because of drying vegetation in sanctuaries and game parks.
100 hippos killed
Mukabana said: "Apart from the already realised impacts on agriculture, livestock, wildlife and water supply, the expected dry conditions may need care in handling fire since the situation is conducive to fire outbreaks in forests, grasslands and settlements."
The Kenya Wildlife Service said a drought-induced deadly anthrax had killed scores of endangered Grevy's zebras in northern Kenya, while reduced water levels had also killed nearly 100 hippos in the country.
On Sunday, Morris warned of large-scale deaths in Kenya if donors delayed the delivery of food to the most vulnerable communities in the country, home to about 32 million people.
Kirsten Engebak, who represented Norwegian Church Aid in Kenya, Somalia and Uganda, said: "The international community must wake up to the reality of this growing crisis before it is too late.
quot;The situation is terrible. We are facing a disaster. I was prepared for the worst, but what I saw almost can't be described."