Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 19.1 Current EWS for various hazards, their location and timescale
System
Hazard
Place
Timescale
Flood Early Warning System
(FEWS)
Floods
Western
region-
Budalangi
Kano plain
Hours
Greater Horn of Africa Climate
Outlook Forum (GHACOF)
Floods and drought
Monitored across
Kenya through
ICPAC
Seasonal
Monthly
Decadal
Drought Early Warning System
(DEWS), Managed by
National Drought Monitoring
Agency (NDMA)
Drought
Arid and semi arid
lands
Monthly
Famine Early Warning System
Network (FEWSNET)
Famine
Entire Kenya
Quarterly
Monthly
Tsunami Early Warning System
(TEWS), Managed by KMD
Tsunami
Coastline
Monthly
Live stock Early Warning
System (LEWS)
Drought and
diseases
Entire Kenya
Entire Kenya
Mo ALF
Severe Weather Warning
(SWW), Managed by KMD
Thunderstorms,
lightening,
heavy rains,
waves, and wind
Entire Kenya
1-5 days
Response and Assistance
Network (RANET), Managed
by KMD
Flood, drought, and
landslides
Entire Kenya
Hours
Weeks
Confl ict Early Warning System
(CEWARN), Managed by
Intergovernmental Authority
on Development (IGAD)
Confl icts
Entire Kenya
Weeks
Source: WMO 2004 and GoK 2004 and modifi ed from Otiende ( 2009 )
include bird migration, livestock behavior, bee swarms, snakes, wind direction, dis-
tant lightening over Lake Victoria, and riverine fog (Onyango 2013 ). Although
these methods are weaker than empirical evidence, they are sometimes the only
solution in rural villages where acquisition and understanding of technical informa-
tion may be limited (Dulo et al. 2010 ).
Further examples of existing early warning systems in Kenya are listed in
Table 19.1 .
19.5
Effects of Floods on Communities
Despite structures for early warning systems being in place, in March 2003 the
Budalangi district, which is part of the Nzoia Basin in Western Kenya, was hit
with a major fl ooding disaster that left 47 people dead and 60,000 people dis-
placed. Other impacts included the destruction of water and sanitation infrastruc-
ture, of economic infrastructure such as roads and bridges, and environmental
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