Masinga: Communities living downstream of the Seven Forks Dams Hydropower Cascade have been asked to move to higher grounds following the spilling over of the dams as a result of continued rainfall in the Mt. Kenya and Aberdares catchment areas. This was after Kiambere Dam, which is the last dam along the cascade, started spilling over after surpassing its maximum capacity.
According to Kenya News Agency, Energy Principal Secretary Alex Wachira stated that the overflow in Kiambere is expected to cause flooding and possible displacement of people along River Tana as far as Garissa and Tana River. “Kiambere is our last goalkeeper with regard to holding of water along the cascade and when it starts to spill over, we have to issue an alert to people downstream who may be affected by resultant flooding,” he said.
Speaking on an assessment tour of the dams at Masinga, PS Wachira mentioned that the Government was on high alert to respond swiftly to protect lives, livelihoods, and infrastructure. He also urged communities to stay informed through official channels and to follow advisories issued by relevant authorities.
KenGen Managing Director Engineer Peter Njenga reported that this was the second alert they were issuing after the largest of the dams and the first in the cascade, Masinga, recorded overflow on April 30. This, he explained, has led to subsequent overflows in the other four dams, namely Kamburu, Gitaru, Kindaruma, and finally Kiambere.
He further noted that water levels at Kiambere have reached an all-time high of 700.27 meters against its full supply level of 700 meters above sea level. As of yesterday, Masinga Dam had reached 1057.15 meters above sea level, which is 0.65 meters above its full capacity level of 1056.50.
Njenga emphasized that KenGen is working closely with the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, as well as National and County Government’s Disaster Management teams, to ensure timely communication and safety for all affected communities.
