People stand in floodwaters near the Nairobi River in Nairobi, Kenya, Dec. 3, 2019. Kenya’s Catholic bishops prayed for the more than 100 people who have died in flooding, landslides and mudslides since October. (CNS photo/Njeri Mwangi, Reuters)

By Francis Njuguna • Catholic News Service • Posted December 20, 2019

NAIROBI, Kenya (CNS) — Kenya’s Catholic bishops prayed for the more than 100 people who have died in flooding, landslides and mudslides since October.

The bishops said they were saddened by the situation, which has affected more than 300,000 people, and they emphasized the need to strengthen disaster preparedness in the country.

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“There is need to a line with the principles of Agenda 2030 that call for integrating environmental support and protection in our work,” the bishops said in mid-December, referring to the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals.

“Let us all work together to increase our forest cover (and) promote agricultural practices that protect the environment,” they said. “We should also document indigenous knowledge on community-managed disaster risk reduction and build local capacities to act on early warning signs ahead of disasters.”

The bishops promised to collaborate with their Christian partners and the government to help the people affected by the flooding.

“We also appeal to Kenyans to act swiftly and reach out to those affected with any support they can avail,” they said.