Five counties in the southern parts of Kenya are currently on qui vive as Cyclone Belna continues to influence weather conditions in the area after causing a landfall in Madagascar.
According to the Kenya Meteorological Department, the cyclone has sent heavy rains into the region including Kenya with warnings for major flooding.

Cyclone Belna hit northern Madagascar on Tuesday, leaving nine dead and three people missing, and more than 1,400 people homeless in the western town of Soalala.

These incidences have put the Kenyan Met department on alert for the safety of its southern counties, including Kajidado, Kitui, Machakos and Taita Taveta.

“Belna is currently influencing the weather over Kenya indirectly, by creating favourable conditions for heavy rainfall in the southern parts of the country,” said Stella Aura, head of the meteorological department.

However, the Met Office in a tweet on Tuesday, pointed out that Kenya is largely safe as indicated by satellite images.

“#CycloneBelna  made landfall in Madagascar with significant impacts on the Madagascan Coast including major storm surge, hurricane-force winds and very heavy torrential rainfall.
The Kenyan coastal region as indicated by the satellite image remains clear pic.twitter.com/kSkDcNfU2p

— Kenya Met Department (@MeteoKenya) December 10, 2019″.

A forecast released by the department for the next seven days (10th to 16th December, 2019) indicates that rainfall is expected to continue over several parts of the country throughout the forecast period, with the Southwestern parts of the country likely
to receive significant rainfall during the period.