Search operations ongoing at Baraka, Olkaria Village in Kajiado South/Kenya Red Cross

Search operations are ongoing in Kajiado South after one person was reportedly swept away by floodwaters while attempting to cross an overflowing river at Baraka, Olkaria Village.

The Kenya Red Cross said the incident occurred on the night of October 30, with teams deployed to search for the missing person.

The organisation urged residents to avoid crossing flooded rivers and roads, warning that swollen waterways pose a danger to lives, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall.

It advised members of the public requiring emergency assistance to call its toll-free number, 1199.

The incident comes amid heightened government warnings over the anticipated El Niño rains during the October-December season, with authorities cautioning that heavy downpours could trigger flooding, landslides, displacement and damage to infrastructure.

Environment Principal Secretary Festus Ng’eno has urged county governments and disaster response teams in high-risk areas to step up preparations, particularly in Western Kenya, the Rift Valley and low-lying flood basins such as the Tana Delta.

The government has cited the devastating effects of previous rainy seasons, including the 1997 El Niño and the 2023-2024 floods, which caused deaths, destroyed homes, disrupted transport and forced schools to close.

Residents living along river corridors and flood plains have been urged to heed weather warnings and move to safer areas when advised. Authorities have also called for drainage systems to be cleared ahead of heavy rainfall.

The government has outlined several preparedness measures, including mapping flood-prone areas, identifying evacuation centres, inspecting vulnerable infrastructure, strengthening early warning systems and positioning emergency supplies.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has also called on Kenyans to take the warnings seriously, particularly those living in areas prone to flooding, even as some members of the public question the forecasts because the anticipated heavy rains have not arrived as expected.

The government has said it is working with security agencies, county administrations and humanitarian organisations, including the Kenya Red Cross, to strengthen emergency response and rescue operations.

Residents have been advised to avoid crossing swollen rivers, keep away from flooded roads and follow instructions from local authorities as the rainy season continues.