By S, KNA
Farmers in Nyeri have been advised not to embark on planting crops in their farms during the ongoing slight showers to avert losing their crops.
Nyeri County Director of Meteorological Services John Muiruri has said the current rains that have been falling in several parts of the county since Saturday are short-lived and therefore not ideal for planting.
Consequently, farmers have been told to desist from rushing to put crops on their farms unless such crops are fast maturing and ones that can remain resilient even during the dry season, once the rains subsidize.
“What we have been experiencing in Nyeri and other parts of the country are fleeting showers that are expected to last for at least four days. We therefore wish to inform the general public that this is not the right time to plant crops on the farms. No one would want to plant and end up losing their entire crops due to failed rains,” said Muiruri.
Several parts of the county have been experiencing heavy rains and extremely cold weather conditions with temperatures sometimes fluctuating to lows of 10 degrees centigrade.
Among areas recording extremely low temperatures within the Central Region include Nyeri, Nyahururu, Kangema, Embu and Thika where temperatures have been falling to between 12 degrees centigrade and nine degrees centigrade according to a detailed temperature forecast by the Kenya Meteorological Department for the period between August 12 to August 18.
On August 15, the Kenya Meteorological Department issued an advisory report in regard to heavy rains that were expected to pound several parts of the country.
The weather report also put the probability of the occurrence of the rains at 33 percent to 66 percent and further cautioned the public in the affected areas to be on the lookout for potential flash floods and poor visibility.
Among counties that were put on the warning list from areas situated on the Highlands East of Rift Valley include Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Murang’a, Nyandarua and Kiambu.
“The rainfall pounding parts of the Lake Victoria Basin, the Rift Valley and Highlands West of Rift Valley is expected to intensify to more than 20 mm in 24 hours and spread to the Highlands East of Rift Valley on Sunday 17 August 2025.
The heavy rainfall is likely to continue up to Tuesday 19th August 2025.It is expected to reduce in intensity from Wednesday 20th August 2025,” read part of the advisory statement.
Residents in the mentioned areas are advised to be on the lookout for potential flash floods and poor visibility, while people leaving downstream rivers and along seasonal rivers should be careful, since water may appear suddenly, even though it may not be raining within the area.
Residents were also advised to avoid driving through or walking in moving water or open fields and not to shelter under trees and near grilled windows to minimize exposure to lightning strikes.