The government has activated a national response plan to protect Kenyans facing heightened risks from flooding and other rain-related hazards as the country prepares for the onset of El Niño conditions.

The Ministry of Interior and National Administration said on Monday that round-the-clock search-and-rescue operations are on standby and that government agencies are prepared to scale up interventions depending on the severity and geographical spread of the impacts.

The measures are being implemented under the National Contingency Plan, with the National Disaster Operations Centre (NDOC) coordinating the national response.

Multi-agency teams involving the Kenya Coast Guard Service, Kenya Defence Forces, National Police Service, Kenya Red Cross Society and National Youth Service have been placed on standby to support evacuations and other emergency operations.

The government said designated evacuation and displacement centres have been established, with a standardised registration system intended to identify, track and assist people displaced by flooding and other disasters.

Alternative access routes will also be activated where roads and other transport infrastructure are disrupted, while air support can be mobilised through NDOC where necessary.

Health authorities prepare for disease outbreaks

The government is also preparing for possible outbreaks of communicable diseases in areas affected by flooding.

The Public Health Emergency Operations Centre and Incident Management System have been deployed to coordinate emergency health services, strengthen disease surveillance and support the prevention and control of waterborne and vector-borne diseases.

Officials said these interventions will be intensified depending on the evolving situation.

Supply pipelines for therapeutic and supplementary nutrition commodities have also been secured to maintain essential services, while water-quality surveillance will be intensified in affected areas.

Water-treatment products will be distributed where required, while sanitation facilities in affected settlements will be assessed to reduce contamination and associated public health risks.

Relief food stocks positioned in 10 counties

The government has also positioned food stocks in 10 priority counties considered vulnerable to the effects of the rains.

The counties are Tana River, Garissa, Kisumu, Busia, Nakuru, Mombasa, Kilifi, Wajir, Mandera and Turkana.

Relief supplies and emergency shelter materials have also been pre-positioned for deployment to evacuation and displacement centres.

The government said protection monitoring mechanisms are ready to identify and respond to the needs of vulnerable groups during the emergency.

Farmers and livestock owners are also expected to receive location-specific advisories as weather conditions evolve.

Agricultural authorities will provide guidance to farmers, while animal disease surveillance will be intensified to reduce the risk of outbreaks and protect livestock.

Schools and national examinations

In the education sector, authorities have put arrangements in place to assess the condition and functionality of learning institutions affected by severe weather.

The government will also work to safeguard learning materials where schools may be affected by flooding or other hazards.

County governments will coordinate preparedness, response and recovery alongside County Commissioners through County Disaster Risk Management Committees and County Emergency Operations Centres.

Counties will serve as the lead implementers within their jurisdictions while receiving technical support from national institutions.

At the sub-county level, disaster management teams and steering groups will coordinate local preparedness, early warning and first-response activities in collaboration with National Government Administration Officers, community disaster management committees, community health promoters and other local partners.

The government said national and county institutions will coordinate sector responses and resources to minimise gaps and duplication, while humanitarian organisations have aligned their interventions with government priorities.

Refugee operations

Refugee operations in the Dadaab complex, Kakuma and Kalobeyei will continue to be coordinated by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in partnership with the Department of Refugee Services.

The government said it will continue monitoring weather and disaster risks through NDOC and county-level coordination structures and will update its emergency plans as conditions change.

El Niño and positive IOD raise rainfall concerns

The preparedness measures come against a regional climate outlook pointing to wetter-than-normal conditions in parts of the Greater Horn of Africa during the October-December period.

The World Meteorological Organization said in August that El Niño was expected to strengthen during the second half of 2026, while a positive Indian Ocean Dipole was also expected to develop. Both climate drivers are associated with increased rainfall over parts of East Africa.

The WMO said the October-December period is particularly important for rainfall in the equatorial and southern parts of the Greater Horn of Africa, including Kenya.

Kenya's weather authorities continue to issue shorter-term forecasts and advisories to guide preparedness and response as the rainy season develops.

With flooding capable of disrupting transport, damaging infrastructure, affecting food supplies and increasing public health risks, authorities are urging national and county response teams to remain prepared as rainfall conditions evolve.