NAIROBI, Kenya, May 1 – The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority has directed all fuel stations impacted by flooding to suspend operations amid the risk of fuel contamination.
In a statement, the authority warned that the heavy rains may damage the Petroleum Underground Storage Tank, adversely affecting the quality of petroleum products and leading to the breakdown of motor vehicles.
EPRA added that the affected retail stations should assess the extent of the flooding, clean up any debris, and ensure the quality of their products before resuming operations.
“The Authority wishes to caution owners of the retail stations to ensure the safety of the public and quality of their products,” Epra said.
“The retail stations should assess the extent of the flooding, clean up any debris, and ensure the quality of its products before resuming operations. Additionally, retail station owners should anticipate any potential environmental impact of the flooding and take appropriate measures to mitigate it,” it added.
The excessive rainfall, attributed to the El Niño weather phenomenon, has caused rivers and sewers to overflow, leading to major infrastructure and property damage across the country.
Yesterday, the Kenya Meteorological Department warned that the heavy rains are likely to persist for the entire month of May, raising fears of more devastating effects in the coming days.
According to meteorologists, several regions will continue to experience near-average to above-average rainfall throughout May, with occasional thunderstorms anticipated.
The western and coastal regions, however, are forecasted to endure heavy rains extending into June.
Fuel retail stations have therefore been urged to strictly comply with any necessary protocols or regulations offered by government authorities to avert the adverse effects of the potential flooding.
“Based on the severity of the flooding, the retail stations are hereby directed to immediately communicate with relevant Government authorities or regulatory Agencies to ensure compliance with any necessary protocols or regulations,” it stated.
