As Kenya prepares for potentially heavy El Niño rains in late 2026, experts warn that population growth, urban expansion and degraded natural drainage systems have increased exposure.

Kenya’s experience with devastating El Niño rains, from the 1997/98 disaster to the severe flooding of 2023/24, shows that, approach to disaster preparedness has evolved.

The government announces measures to prepare for above-normal rains expected during the October to December (OND) season, with early onset forecast in Western, Nyanza, North…