Kenya is currently grappling with an intense heatwave. Though the temperatures don’t surpass 2024’s record-breaking temperatures, the scorching sun is affecting daily livelihoods. This includes school-going children and an already struggling agricultural sector.
Considering the reduced aid from Western nations like the U.S.A. through institutions like USAID, the government might struggle to tackle Kenya’s food crisis.
Moreover, experts warn that extreme heatwaves have resulted in high precipitation rates between January and February. Therefore, Kenyan citizens should brace for a potential El Nino. Furthermore, this has been the pattern in Kenya (over the last 5 years), where a rise in temperatures precedes heavy rainfall.
Meanwhile, Botswana is facing a different yet equally devastating climate crisis. Flash floods have claimed 7 lives and displaced over 1,500 individuals. Authorities have temporarily closed schools and various roads following more than a week of heavy downpour.
President Duma Boko said, “We will continue to work in the short term to mitigate further losses.” He also emphasized the need to build climate-sustainable infrastructure to handle future calamities. “We must relook at our infrastructure planning to determine that indeed our infrastructure on a national level can handle droughts as well as floods,” Boko said.
The dual crises of excessive heat in Kenya and deadly floods in Botswana underscore the urgent need for global climate action and support for vulnerable nations. Without intervention, these calamities will continue to disrupt education and devastate the economy.
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