Kenya overcomes drought after heavy rainfall season

Only one out of the 23 Kenyan regions that were severely hit by drought remains in dire condition following heavy rainfall recorded during the March-May season, the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) said in a report released Thursday.

The authority noted that 22 of the arid and semi-arid areas that were worst affected have since recovered as the East African nation overcomes drought. Only Taita Taveta County in coastal Kenya remains in an alert drought phase, with residents in need of help, said the agency.

More than 4.4 million people in Kenya had been affected by the drought that had also hit Ethiopia and Somalia in the Horn of Africa region. The NDMA added that it is currently carrying out an assessment alongside UN agencies and non-governmental organizations to determine the number of people in Kenya facing hunger after the March to May long rains.