Heavy rains that pounded Nairobi on Friday left a trail of destruction across the city, with authorities confirming that at least ten people lost their lives after sudden floods swept through several neighbourhoods and major roads.
The downpour, which began in the afternoon and continued into the night, caused rivers to overflow, roads to become impassable and vehicles to be trapped in fast-moving water.
According to Nairobi Police Commander George Seda, eight of the victims were carried away by strong floodwaters as streams and drainage systems quickly filled up.
Emergency teams were still responding to calls and collecting information about the full impact of the disaster as of Saturday morning.
Seda explained during a phone interview with Radio Citizen that rescue efforts were ongoing in several parts of the city.
Some of the deaths occurred when motorists were caught in rapidly rising water while still inside their vehicles. Police say several cars were overwhelmed by floods before drivers could escape to safety.
In other incidents, two people died after being electrocuted in separate locations as the heavy rains disrupted electricity connections and exposed live wires.
Another man is believed to have died after his car was swept away near the Kitengela River late Friday night. Authorities have started a search operation to recover his body, although the strong currents have made the effort difficult.
The flooding also left many motorists stranded across the capital. Police reported that at least 71 vehicles were trapped on flooded roads as the rainwater quickly filled streets and highways.
Some drivers were forced to abandon their cars and seek safer ground as the situation worsened.
Seda warned that the number of casualties could rise as search teams continue to look for missing persons and gather reports from affected areas.
Vehicles submerged in flooding waters. Photo/Courtesy
Weather experts had earlier warned residents about the possibility of heavy rainfall. The Kenya Meteorological Department had issued alerts indicating that intense rain could fall within a short period and trigger flooding, especially in places with poor drainage.
The department urged residents to avoid walking or driving through flooded roads and drainage channels because of the risk of being swept away.
During the night, videos circulated online showing vehicles partly submerged in water and motorists struggling to navigate flooded streets across the capital. Several major roads were affected, causing heavy traffic disruptions and leaving some routes completely blocked.
The Kenya Red Cross reported that flooding affected key sections of the city, including parts of the central business district, Uhuru Highway, Mbagathi Way, Mombasa Road and Thika Superhighway.
Other affected roads included Jogoo Road, Lunga Lunga Road, Enterprise Road and Lang’ata Road near T-Mall.
Floodwaters also spread into several residential estates. Areas such as Pipeline Estate and Embakasi experienced severe flooding, with parts of Kware Road becoming inaccessible. Other neighbourhoods that reported flooding include Mukuru Kwa Njenga, Kibra, Mathare, Huruma and Baba Dogo. In some of these areas, the swollen Nairobi River overflowed its banks, forcing residents to spend the night in cold and wet conditions.
Other parts of the city that felt the impact include South B, South C, Nairobi West, Umoja, Njiru, Ruai, Utawala, Roysambu, Kahawa West and Westlands.
Following the disaster, Johnson Sakaja ordered a 24-hour rapid response across the county to deal with emergencies caused by the rains.
Rescue teams, county officers and humanitarian groups have been deployed to assist residents, clear blocked drainage systems and monitor areas that remain at risk. Weather officials say the rainfall may continue for several days, although forecasts indicate that the intensity could reduce by Wednesday.
