Sukihana jumps into the crowd at Rolling Loud

 

By Soonest Nathaniel

In the wake of relentless monsoon rains, the town of Garissa in eastern Kenya has become a symbol of the catastrophic impact of climate change. The deluge, which residents describe as unprecedented, has claimed lives, homes, and livelihoods, leaving a trail of despair in its wake.

Abdi Hussein, a 32-year-old local, sits amidst the ruins of what was once his life. Surrounded by makeshift tents on a road now turned into a refuge, he gazes into the rust-colored waters that have swallowed his world. “It has been like the world is coming to an end,” he confides, a sentiment echoed by many in this beleaguered town.

The statistics are grim: 257 dead, almost 55,000 households displaced, and entire villages submerged. The floods, linked to the El Niño weather phenomenon, have unleashed overflows from five dams, affecting over 1.5 million people in the regions of Garissa, Tana River, and Lamu.

Mwanajuma Raha, a resident whose home was destroyed, laments their geographical misfortune of living downstream. Meanwhile, Suleiman Vuya Abdulahi, a 27-year-old farmer, recounts his harrowing experience of being marooned on a rooftop, a scene reminiscent of a dystopian nightmare.

The crisis has severed Garissa’s lifeline, its main road, forcing reliance on air and boat deliveries, which has led to skyrocketing prices. The makeshift pier outside the town has become a hub of desperation, where motorboats once used for leisure now serve as lifelines, ferrying people and supplies.

The situation is dire, with the Kenya Red Cross struggling to meet the basic needs of nearly 6,500 families housed in camps. Food scarcity is the most pressing issue, according to Daud Ahmed Shalle, the regional coordinator.

As the rains persist and the Masinga dam reaches historic levels, there is a palpable fear that the worst is yet to come. Campaigners urge for increased financing to address the crisis, highlighting the disproportionate impact on communities least responsible for climate change.

Melaku Yirga, the regional director for Mercy Corps, warns of the irreversible impact of climate change on these communities, predicting a continuous rise in the global demand for humanitarian assistance.

As the world watches, Garissa stands as a stark reminder of the human cost of climate change, a cost that continues to climb with each passing season.