A heavy downpour that hit Nairobi on the evening of Friday, March 6 left many residents and business owners dealing with major losses after floods spread across several parts of the city. Roads were quickly covered by rising water, vehicles stalled in the middle of flooded streets and some homes and shops were invaded by floodwaters.
Images and videos shared online showed the seriousness of the situation, with several vehicles almost fully submerged.
In some places, strong currents swept cars away as drivers struggled to move through flooded roads. Businesses located along busy streets reported water entering their premises, destroying goods and causing financial losses. Some families were also forced to leave their homes after water levels rose inside their houses.
According to a statement released by the Kenya Red Cross, the heavy rainfall triggered flooding across different parts of the capital and nearby areas. The organization said the floods caused road closures, property damage and displacement, leaving many residents in distress.
Several major roads were badly affected during the flooding. These included sections of roads within the Central Business District, Uhuru Highway, Mombasa Road, Thika Superhighway, Jogoo Road, Lang’ata Road and Mbagathi Way. Floodwaters blocked traffic and left many motorists stranded for hours.
One widely shared video captured passengers escaping from a public service vehicle that had been trapped by floodwaters along Uhuru Highway near the Haile Selassie exit of the Nairobi Expressway.
The 33-seater bus was almost three-quarters submerged. Passengers were seen holding hands to form a human chain as they carefully moved to safer ground.
Emergency responders were deployed to help those affected. The Kenya Red Cross said its first responders rescued about 20 people who had been stranded along Kirinyaga Road and moved them to safety.
Flooding was also reported in many residential areas. Estates such as Pipeline, Embakasi, Mukuru Kwa Njenga, Reuben, Viwandani, Kibra, Mathare, Huruma and Baba Dogo experienced rising water levels. In some of these areas, the overflowing Nairobi River worsened the situation, forcing residents to spend the night in cold and wet conditions.
Other neighbourhoods affected included South B, South C, Nairobi West, Lang’ata, Umoja 3, Chokaa, Njiru, Ruai, Utawala, Roysambu, Kahawa West, Githurai, Loresho and parts of Westlands. In several estates, roads became impassable as water levels reached knee height.
The Kenya Defence Forces deployed its Rapid Response Unit to help clear blocked roads and control traffic. The unit assisted in towing stalled vehicles around the Kariokor-Ring Road roundabout and helped manage traffic at Mbagathi Roundabout.
The Kenya Meteorological Department has warned that more rainfall is expected as the long rain season begins, with forecasts showing possible rainfall of up to 20mm between Wednesday and Monday in Nairobi and other parts of the country. Authorities are urging residents to remain cautious as the rains continue.