The Kenya Meteorological department has told Murang’a residents to brace for a three-month cold season.
County director of meteorology Paul Murage said low temperatures are being experienced in most parts of the county and residents need to adequately prepare for it.
He said the county is recording a minimum of 13 degrees and temperatures are expected to drop to below 10 degrees by next month. The cold weather will last until August.
As the weather continues to drop, Murage urged residents to eat well to keep their bodies strong and warm, especially due to the coronavirus.
“Chronic diseases such as arthritis and pneumonic attacks may increase due to the cold weather so people need to dress in warm clothes and eat well,” the director said, adding that the temperatures will increasingly drop as the months progress.
He, however, cautioned residents against using charcoal jikos to warm their houses, because it could lead to carbon monoxide poisoning and eventual death.
Children should also not be left indoors alone to avoid accidents, he added.
Motorists and boda boda riders were urged to exercise extra care because of heavy fog that accompanies low temperatures, causing poor visibility.
The cold temperatures will also pose the challenge of drying foodstuffs that are currently being harvested.
Murage said farmers will have to come up with proper post-harvest measures to ensure the bumper harvest is not lost to aflatoxin poisoning.
“If farmers do not properly dry and store their produce then the entire harvest will be lost due to the low temperatures,” he said.
The county has experienced heavy rains since October last year which resulted in increased maize harvests.
In March, the county government issued free high quality maize seedlings to over 250,000 homes in a programme aimed at boosting food security.
However, beans, especially in low-lying areas, were destroyed by floods.
“We are pleased that no fatality was recorded despite the numerous landslides that occurred during the long rains. Each of our weather stations recorded more than 100 per cent of the normal rainfall,” Murage said.
Some roads have remained impassable after they were destroyed by earth movements while hundreds were displaced by landslides and floods.
Source: The Star
LOW TEMPERATURES: Murang'a county director of meteorology Paul Murage with a farmer in Gaturi area on Tuesday
