DELUGE ARRIVES

DELUGE ARRIVES

The predicted El-Nino rains are beating East Africa and reversing the drought completely, causing mayhem anew.

Nairobi’s Standard newspaper reports now that five people swept away by running waters have been confirmed killed throughout Kenya. Two major bridges, one linking the mainland with Lamu, has been swept away, and major roads into the north are completely gone.

The seriously damaged parts of the country seem to be just outside of the tourist circuit, which is nonetheless getting significant rainfall.

But the flash floods, destroyed bridges and swept away (dirt) roads are in Kenya’s west, coast, north and far north-east. The essential center of the country, the Rift Province, is receiving heavy rainfall, but not a deluge.

In Tanzania the areas around Lake Victoria are getting drenched and heavy rains are falling elsewhere in the north, but not with the vengeance over much of Kenya.

In Uganda, areas around the capital of Kampala and the main airport at Entebbe are soaked, as is the mountainous west.

In any other year, this would be considered a blessing. But what is happening over much of the area is massive erosion and mud slides following three years of little or no rain.

The rains began as I reported two weeks ago, about two weeks early. Normally they would slowly be ending in December in Kenya and Uganda, then moderating but not ending in northern Tanzania.

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