2024 East Africa Flooding and Cyclones

• According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) as of May 17, 2024:
  • At least 473 people died. Over half of the deaths (291) were in Kenya, with at least 155 people in Tanzania and 49 people in Uganda.
  • An estimated 1.6 million people were affected, including 560,000 in Ethiopia, 412,760 in Kenya, 239,780 in Burundi, 225,760 in Somalia, 126,000 in Tanzania and 40,000 in Ethiopia.
  • At least 410,000 people were displaced although some have been able to return home because of extended dry spells.
  • Across the region, food, shelter, non-food items, health support and WASH remain significant needs.

Generally, cyclones form at least 300 miles away from the equator. Cyclone IALY transformed from a storm to a cyclone in the south-west Indian Ocean basin less than 190 miles from Mombasa. It was the most northerly cyclone ever formed below the equator.

IALY dissipated on May 22 around 4:00 p.m. local time. It was the strongest cyclone to get that close to the equator in eight years.

While Cyclone IALY stayed more than 90 miles offshore, winds reached the Kenyan Kilifi coastal region on May 21, injuring six people and killing two others, including a four-year-old girl. It is the strongest cyclone to ever get that close to Kenya.

Kenya’s proximity to the equator means the country typically does not experience direct hits but rather may feel the effects of the winds and rain from a cyclone, typically at the strength of a tropical depression.

Even as IALY approached, Tanzanian, Kenyan and Somalian authorities were only warning of a “moderate tropical storm.”

Each country has a rainy season, with varying dates. For example, the “long rains,” as they are known, occur annually in Kenya and Tanzania from March to May. In Somalia, the Gu rains fall between April and June, with the Deyr rains between October and December. This region is extremely susceptible to climate change, and the El Niño climate pattern  compounded this year’s rains.

Years of drought, which hardened the soil, also compounded the effects of the rains, increasing the impact of the flooding. While some people were able to return home, many remained in displacement camps or with families in June.

For more information about seasonal weather patterns and the impact of drought and monsoon rains, read this article from Voice of America.

Cyclone Hidaya hit the region on May 4, increasing rains and flooding but not causing as much damage in Kenya or Tanzania as feared. It made landfall on Mafia Island on Tanzania’s Mafia Islands Archipelago in the Indian Ocean before quickly dissipating. Two people died in Tanzania because of the cyclone and seven were injured. Additionally, more than 2,000 homes were flooded, damaged or destroyed, and 18,862 individuals were affected.

Hidaya was the strongest cyclone ever to hit Tanzania, according to Africa News. The Tanzanian Meteorological Authority (TMA) reported heavy downpours along the coast on May 4, with over 3.5 inches of rain reported in Mtwara. This was more than twice the amount of rain that typically falls in May.

Internal and external displacement is of significant concern to UNHCR as thousands of people were forced to move, sometimes repeatedly, due to the flooding. This has also meant that displaced people are sometimes forced to share tents increasing risks of communicable diseases and increasing protection risks.

Across the region, more than 400,000 people were displaced, including some who were already displaced. UNHCR said, “Some of the worst damage has been done in the poorest most congested parts of cities and towns where infrastructure is fragile, drainage inadequate, and homes flimsy, as well as in refugee and displacement camps.”

Local media reported extensive damage to thousands of homes across the region. While governments conducted assessments to determine the extent of the damage and build camps, affected families resorted to makeshift shelters or living in schools or with family and friends.

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, reported that rental prices  increased dramatically in Kenya, making it very difficult for people to find a place they can afford.

There was a significant impact on livelihoods, especially small businesses, pastoralists and agro-pastoralists. In Kenya, nearly 12,000 livestock were killed, nearly 48,000 acres of land for crops flooded and more than 1,000 small businesses were affected. In Burundi, UNHCR reported that 10% of the farmland was lost.

The National Disaster Operations Centre in Kenya reported a critical situation with the waterways and dams across the country with all seven of its hydroelectric dams overtopped at one point.

Children lost access to education for several weeks due to people taking shelter in educational facilities and buildings damaged or inaccessible due to flooding.

In addition to education, approximately 18% of children regionally are at risk of malnutrition. With disasters often resulting in worse health outcomes, government authorities and humanitarian partners were concerned about the health and nutritional situation of children due to the floods.