High alert in Kenya as cyclone hits Tanzanian coast
Current observations indicate that tropical cyclone Hidaya hit the Tanzanian coast, triggering maximum alert from Kenyan authorities.
According to the Director of the Kenya Meteorological Department, David Gikungu, a landfall, in this context, is the center of the storm’s circulation which penetrates inland.
“It will cause disruption and we expect it to disintegrate. However, we are still monitoring it and even receiving reports from our Tanzanian counterparts,” Gikungu said.
As monitoring continues, the Kenya Meteorological Department has urged residents, especially in coastal areas and those involved in marine activities in the Indian Ocean, to take all necessary precautions.
Torrential rain is forecast off the Kenyan coast from Sunday May 5, intensifying from Monday May 6 to Tuesday next week.
The effects of the cyclones are already being felt offshore, with strong winds exceeding 40 knots (20.6 m/s) and large waves exceeding two meters.
Fishing prohibited
Already, Kenya has banned fishing, swimming, non-essential transport and other activities on beaches from May 4 to 6 at midnight, when the effects of the cyclone, if it were to strike, will have dissipated.
In a statement, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki announced a ban on all non-essential activities in Kenya’s territorial waters, along beaches and settlements adjacent to the coastline.
“Government warns members of the public who engage in fishing, swimming and recreational activities in the territorial waters of Kenya and on the beaches of Kwale, Mombasa, Kilifi and Lamu counties that available scientific information indicates the possibility risks to life and property in these areas,” said Professor Kindiki.
If the cyclone hits Kenya, Professor Kindiki added, it could generate massive rainfall with strong winds and powerful waves capable of significantly disrupting normal activities in Kenya’s territorial waters in the Indian Ocean and human settlements there. along the Kenyan coast.
“The County Security and Intelligence Committees (CSICs) of Kwale, Mombasa, Kilifi and Lamu counties in collaboration with the Kenya Coast Guard Service (KCGS) are directed to immediately issue notices and strictly enforce a banning activities on beaches, fishing, swimming, non-essential transport in Kenya’s territorial waters and evacuating establishments deemed too close to the coastline from today, May 4, 2024, at 5 p.m. “at midnight on Monday May 6, 2024, the date on which Cyclone Hidaya is expected to end,” announced Professor Kindiki.
Tanzania
In a statement released by Tanzanian counterparts, the Tanzania Meteorological Authority, Tropical Cyclone Hidaya was close to the Tanzanian coast and continues to dominate weather systems in these areas.
“Over the past 6 hours, periods of torrential rain and strong winds have continued to occur. For example, at weather stations in Mtwara, Kilwa, Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam, strong winds exceeding 50 kilometers per hour were recorded at different times from last night until this morning.
Additionally, during the same period, heavy rains continued to be observed in the Mtwara and Lindi areas, where as of 9pm last night, Mtwara station recorded 75.5 millimeters of rain in 12 hours.
This amount of rain in 12 hours is very high, considering that the average rainfall for the month of May at Mtwara station is only 54 millimeters.
Therefore, the amount of rain that fell in 12 hours at Mtwara station is approximately 140% of the average rainfall for the month of May at Mtwara station,” the statement said.
In addition, the cyclone is expected to continue to approach the coastal strip of Tanzania while gradually weakening until the night of Saturday, May 5, 2024, the press release added.
source : Nation Media Group / Kenya on high alert as cyclone hits Tanzanian coast | Nation
