Nairobi, June 28 -- Kenya lost an estimated Sh187.8 billion due to floods in just six months in 2023 and 2024, exposing the mounting financial burden of climate disasters that has prompted the government to overhaul financing of its emergency operations.

The Treasury has disclosed in a new document that it is adopting a new financing strategy to enhance the capacity of national and county governments to manage disaster risks.

"These impacts [earlier shocks] were further exacerbated by the severe floods in October-December 2023 (short rains) and in March-May 2024 (long rains), in March-May 2024 (long rains), which caused total damage and losses estimated at Sh187.82 billion, further straining public finances and slowing economic recovery...