President William Ruto’s Cabinet has directed all residents living in flood-prone areas to vacate within 48 hours, effective from the Cabinet sitting held on Tuesday morning.

The evacuation order applies to individuals residing in areas susceptible to flooding, mudslides, landslides, and those living along riparian lands. The directive aims to safeguard lives and prevent further casualties due to adverse weather conditions.

The Cabinet received and considered a weather forecast report from the Meteorological Department, indicating that the ongoing rains will persist in intensity and duration, and warning that the situation could get dire because the soils around the country are fully saturated.

The National Disaster Management Operations Center is coordinating support agencies as rescue efforts continue. President Ruto highlighted the flexibility of county budgets to accommodate emergencies, ensuring resources are available for response and recovery efforts.