Child Welfare Society Steps Up Emergency Relief for 24,000 Children in Flood-Hit Tana River
The Child Welfare Society of Kenya (CWSK) has launched a large-scale emergency response in Tana River County as rising floodwaters continue to isolate villages and displace families across the region. The operation, which began mid-week, is targeting more than 24,000 children in 6,000 households who have been severely affected by the ongoing heavy rains. Labour and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary Florence Bore and CWSK Chief Executive Officer Irene Mureithi are jointly overseeing the intervention in areas cut off after weeks of intense flooding.
The severe weather, linked to El Niño conditions and rising water levels along the Tana River, has left major roads impassable and essential supplies dwindling. According to advisories from the Tana and Athi Rivers Development Authority (TARDA), water levels near the Garissa bridge recently surged to above 5 metres, prompting fears of worsening flooding downstream in Tana River, Garissa, and Kitui counties. With entire villages submerged and families forced into makeshift camps, CWSK is distributing food items including maize, rice, beans, green grams, and cooking oil, alongside non-food essentials, to affected communities in Garsen, Hola, and Madogo.
Authorities say children remain the most vulnerable as homes, schools, and other protection structures collapse under the deluge. In such disasters, children face the greatest risk when their safe environments are destroyed. It is our responsibility to move swiftly and safeguard them, CWSK CEO Mureithi said during the launch of the operation. Local leaders and business communities have also raised concerns over looming shortages of food and medical supplies, warning that supply routes could take weeks to reopen if rains persist.
Government agencies and humanitarian partners are now preparing for a prolonged emergency, with forecasts indicating continued heavy rainfall in several counties across northern and eastern Kenya. Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has appealed to county governments and aid organisations to pool resources, warning that the humanitarian situation may escalate if water levels keep rising. TARDA has further urged residents living along the Tana River Delta and surrounding lowlands to move to higher ground immediately. As rescue efforts continue, CWSK says it is expanding its interventions to additional affected areas to ensure no child is left behind in the unfolding crisis.