Kenya's power company tells Tana River families to leave before El Niño rains, as 302 households are already flooded out

L2Who’s affected

Families in the Tana Delta: 302 households displaced and 3,156 more affected. Of the displaced households, 175 had received food, tarpaulins and blankets from the county and national governments (Kenya Red Cross, via People Daily, The Star and Capital FM). In Lamu County, homes in Hindi and Witu are seeing rising water. In Busia County, disaster management director Joel Osinya told residents, particularly in Bunyala, that they would be advised to evacuate if the Nzoia River reached six metres: "When we tell you that River Nzoia has reached five metres, we will already be approaching a dangerous situation."

L3Why it’s quiet

Analysis · OVERLOOKED Seasonal floods on Kenya's coast and in the west draw national coverage mainly when deaths mount, and these reports come at the start of the season.

L4Deeper impact

The KenGen official said residents often move closer to riverbanks in dry periods to grow vegetables. The dams, the official said, can contain water only "up to the maximum level of our dam's holding capacities. Beyond that, naturally, we will be spilling the water in a controlled manner." And: "as the levels go up depending on the amount of El Niño, we will not have much control over how water is going downstream." The Seven Forks scheme on the Tana has five major dams: Masinga, Kamburu, Gitaru, Kindaruma and Kiambere.

L5Full context

The Kenya Meteorological Department's outlook for the October-November-December short rains indicates that more than 80% of the country could get above-average rainfall, with Tana River County among the areas forecast to receive it (People Daily). In September, Water Cabinet Secretary Eric Mugaa urged residents along the river to move to higher ground, warning that the Seven Forks reservoirs could approach their storage limits, and Environment Cabinet Secretary Nancy Barasa called for stronger early-warning systems. KenGen issued a similar safety advisory in May 2026, when Tana River Governor Dhadho Godhana also urged riverside residents to relocate.

You’ve reached the bottom. Read the original reporting below.