What You Need to Know
Recent floods in Lake Naivasha, Kenya, have submerged entire neighborhoods, forcing thousands to flee their homes. Local officials report deteriorating health conditions as residents face rising waters and inadequate sanitation. The floods threaten wildlife and disrupt local tourism and trade, prompting urgent responses from authorities.
Africa. Tourist boats on Lake Naivasha have become emergency rescue vessels after floodwaters submerged entire neighborhoods, forcing hundreds of residents to flee their homes amid deteriorating health conditions and water levels reaching waist height.
In the modest neighborhood of “Kehoto,” Rose Alero stands in her flooded home, lamenting, “Nothing like this has ever happened before.”
Alero, 51, adds, “People are suffering; many are sick, the toilets are overflowing, and no one knows where to go.”
According to local officials, the waters of the lake, located in the Rift Valley, have advanced inland by an unprecedented 1.5 kilometers, inundating hundreds of homes, destroying churches, and flooding police stations amid floating vegetation.
In a scene reflecting the scale of the disaster, children had to evacuate a school using makeshift rafts during a sudden surge of water.
Joyce Chichi, head of disaster risk management in Nakuru County, estimates that around 7,000 people have been displaced due to rising water levels, noting that the floods also threaten wildlife and disrupt the tourism and trade sectors.
Chichi states that local authorities have provided emergency transport and implemented health measures, but no financial compensation has been offered so far.
In the flower export sector, a pillar of the local economy, workers have refrained from going to the fields for fear of cholera or landslides.
Chichi also warned of the danger of encounters with hippos that have begun to approach residential areas, saying, “We did not expect this.”
On the shores of the lake, the bare trunks of acacia trees, once lush, are submerged in waters advancing at a rate of one meter per day, illustrating the extent of environmental transformation.
This phenomenon is not limited to Naivasha but extends to other lakes in the Rift Valley, causing the displacement of hundreds of thousands. Numerous studies attribute this phenomenon to increased rainfall due to climate change.
However, Kenyan geologist John Lagat, regional director at a geothermal development company, believes the deeper cause is tectonic activity, as the lakes are situated on a major geological fault.
He explains that tectonic plate movements since the early 20th century have gradually closed off underground drainage outlets, trapping water within the basins.
Lagat acknowledges that climate change and land degradation due to population growth exacerbate the crisis, but he describes the tectonic factor as “pivotal.”
In her flooded home, Rose Alero looks at the encroaching waters and says, “We are very worried… we do not know what will happen with the upcoming rainy season.”
Lake Naivasha, located in the East African Rift Valley, has experienced significant environmental changes over the years. The region has seen increased rainfall attributed to climate change, which has exacerbated flooding events. Additionally, geological factors, such as tectonic activity, have contributed to the lake’s rising water levels, impacting local communities and ecosystems.
The interplay between climate change and geological processes has led to a complex situation in Naivasha. As the population grows, the pressure on land and resources increases, further complicating the challenges faced by residents.