Abstract: Gablilo Olil (Gablilo is dark) and Gablilo Oliero (Gablilo is hanging overhead) are pronunciations which bear heavy meanings to the people of Nyando River Basin of Western Kenya. Unbeknown to many weather experts and humanitarian agencies that support flood victims in western Kenya, the local community in the Nyando River Basin seems to have developed local forms of interpreting on-coming flood events long before the disaster arrives. While much highlight has been directed at the sufferings experienced by the victims during flood disasters, little attention has been given to forms preparedness adopted by the people to enable them to cope with their miseries over time. This article explored how the local community interpret the on-coming weather events and the consequent forms of preparedness they adopt to enable them cope with such disasters in the Nyando River Basin of western Kenya. Through a descriptive design, a sample size of 324 households was involved in providing quantitative data while qualitative information was gathered from community leaders and health workers, as well as the interior ministry officials from the area. Dark clouds hanging over the Nandi escapement for approximately three days, locally described as Gablilo, and movement of the wind from Lake Victoria towards the mountains are interpreted as clear signs of pending floods. Many other local forms of predicting on-coming weather are also discussed. Interventions addressing flood disasters should consider local forms of interpreting and predicting weather events.
Keywords: Climate Change; Flood Disaster; Gablilo; Nyando River Basin; On-coming Weather events.
Title: The Gablilo Phenomenon: Local interpretations of on-coming flood events and forms of preparedness adopted by Families in the Nyando River Basin of Western Kenya
Author: Silvance O. Ochola, Fred N. Ikanda, Thomas H. Stubbs
International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research
ISSN 2348-3156 (Print), ISSN 2348-3164 (online)
Vol. 13, Issue 1, January 2025 - March 2025
Page No: 1-9
Research Publish Journals
Website: www.researchpublish.com
Published Date: 03-January-2025
