THE Kenya and the Tanzania are on high alert today due to a cyclone heading towards their shores in the Indian Ocean, as these two east African countries, vulnerable to climate change, are hit by deadly floods.

About 400 people have died in east Africa since March and tens of thousands have been displaced by torrential rains that have caused floods and landslides, washed away homes and destroyed roads and bridges.

THE Kenyan President William Ruto called the weather forecast “terrible” for the country, which will face the first cyclone in its history, and postponed indefinitely the reopening of schools scheduled for Monday.

Tropical Cyclone Hindaya is expected to make landfall off the coast of Kenya and Tanzania over the weekend.

According to Rutothe cyclone is “expected to bring torrential rain, strong winds and large, dangerous waves.”

In Kenya, at least 210 people have died and nearly 100 others are missing since March, with 165,000 people forced to flee their homes, according to government figures.

“No corner of our country has been spared from these disasters,” said the president. “Unfortunately, we have not seen the end of this dangerous period.”

Cyclone Hindaya will pack winds of 165 kilometers per hour when it makes landfall in neighboring Tanzania today, according to the regional weather center ICPAC.

Cyclone season in the southwest Indian Ocean is usually from November to April.

The Tanzania Meteorological Service said today in a post on X that the cyclone was last night about 125 kilometers from the country’s financial capital, Dar es Salaam, causing heavy rainfall accompanied by strong winds in several coastal areas. He also called on residents in the danger areas and shipping workers to take “the utmost precautions”.

At least 155 people have died in Tanzania in floods and landslides that have destroyed crops and swept away homes.