The United States extends our deepest sympathy to the people of Kenya suffering from catastrophic flooding. Severe flooding caused by the El Nino – the worst Kenya has experienced in decades – has taken at least 170 lives and comes immediately following one of the worst droughts in the country’s history. The unprecedented nature of these back-to-back disasters highlight the impact of climate change and the need to prepare for future shocks.
The United States, through USAID, is providing $1 million in immediate humanitarian assistance to support the response to devastating floods in Kenya. This support will provide emergency shelter assistance and other relief commodities as well as hygiene kits. With at least 500,000 people affected by the floods to date, including at least 100,000 families who have been displaced from home, this assistance will help keep people safe and healthy as they recover from the immediate aftermath of the floods.
The United States is the largest humanitarian donor to Kenya, providing more than $226 million since the beginning of Fiscal Year 2023, including nearly $206 million from USAID. We will continue to stand with the Kenyan people as they work to recover from these floods and remain committed to helping them prepare for future disasters. We call on other donors to join us in stepping up to provide immediate aid during this difficult time.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).