NAIROBI: Flash floods triggered by heavy overnight rain killed at least 28 people in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, after rivers and drainage channels overflowed and sent water through low-lying neighborhoods and key transport corridors. Police and rescue workers searched flooded streets and riverbanks after the worst of the downpour struck late Friday and into Saturday morning, submerging vehicles and trapping residents in inundated buildings. Authorities said several victims died after being swept away by floodwaters or electrocuted during the storm.
Kenya mobilizes rescue and relief after heavy rains trigger deadly flooding in Nairobi. (Representative image)
Nairobi police commander George Seda said the dead included people who drowned and others who were electrocuted after power lines and electrical installations were damaged by floodwaters. Emergency teams, supported by soldiers, pulled survivors from stranded vehicles and flooded homes, while volunteers helped ferry residents to higher ground where roads were impassable. The National Police Service said officers were deployed across affected areas to respond to distress calls, and officials said at least 30 people were rescued from different locations. Kenya Red Cross teams reported multiple rescues in the city.
Flooding overturned and damaged dozens of vehicles, including in the Grogan industrial area, and left long sections of Uhuru Highway, Mombasa Road and Thika Superhighway partially impassable for hours. Kenya Airways said severe weather disrupted operations at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, with some flights diverted to the coastal city of Mombasa as crews worked to restore schedules. Kenya Power said floodwaters damaged equipment at a substation, cutting electricity to 14 neighborhoods. Nairobi City Water and Sewerage officials reported multiple pipeline breaks that disrupted water supply.
Government orders emergency coordination
President William Ruto ordered a multi-agency emergency response team to intensify rescue and relief operations in Nairobi and other affected areas, with coordination led by the Ministry of Interior and National Administration and support from the Kenya Defence Forces. Ruto directed that relief food from national strategic reserves be released to families hit by the floods and said the government would cover hospital bills for victims receiving treatment in public facilities. Officials said emergency services and humanitarian responders were mobilized to evacuate residents from high-risk areas and to support families displaced by the flooding.
Nairobi County officials said the city deployed more than 4,000 members of its Green Army, alongside other emergency teams, to clear blocked drainage and open routes to affected neighborhoods including Mukuru, Kibra, Mathare and parts of Embakasi. A military rapid response unit was mobilized to support emergency operations, including traffic control and towing stalled vehicles from flooded junctions. The Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company said technical crews were working to repair damaged mains, including lines serving Eastleigh, Kiambiu, Korogocho, Dandora and Lower Kabete.
Rainfall alerts cover Nairobi and beyond
The Kenya Meteorological Department said heavy rainfall exceeding 20 millimeters in 24 hours was expected across several parts of the country from March 3 to March 9, with the most intense period recorded between March 4 and March 7. The department issued an additional advisory for the Nairobi metropolitan area, saying showers and isolated thunderstorms were continuing and warning residents to remain vigilant for localized flooding. The alert, in effect through Monday evening, urged caution around swollen rivers, flooded roads and damaged electrical infrastructure as crews continued recovery work.
Government figures showed the impact extending beyond the capital. Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku, speaking at Harambee House in Nairobi, said 42 deaths had been confirmed by the National Police Service nationwide as of the morning of March 8, including 26 bodies recovered in Nairobi, with 10 deaths in the Eastern region, four in the Rift Valley and one each in Mombasa and Homa Bay; Nairobi police later said the city toll had reached 28. The update said about 50,000 people had been displaced, 207 injured and nine reported missing, and livestock losses were put at 607 – By Content Syndication Services.