Floods leave trail of ruins and losses in Nairobi

Houses marooned by floods after Ngong River burst its banks and destroyed a bridge at Kayole Potmo, cutting off the link between Kayole potmo (downtown) and Karagita. [Wanjiku Wanjiru, Standard]

A week after devastating floods swept through parts of Nairobi leaving more than 20 people dead, residents are still grappling with the aftermath as fresh floods continue to disrupt life in several estates.

Heavy rains on Saturday evening caused new floods in parts of the city, with one motorist reported to have been swept away on Lusaka Road.

According to police, the driver attempted to navigate through the fast-moving floodwaters but lost control and was carried away by the currents.

“We are not sure how many people were in the vehicle and up until now we are not aware if they were rescued or bodies recovered,” said a police officer.

The incident occurred as emergency teams continued to respond to flood-related emergencies across the capital.

According to the Kenya Red Cross Society, heavy rainfall caused flooding in several neighbourhoods including Parklands, the Central Business District, Ngong Road’s Ngando area, Lower Kabete, Kibera, Kilimani, South B, Kawangware, Lang’ata, Lavington, Eastleigh and Riruta.

The flooding also caused major traffic disruptions on key transport routes including the Nairobi Expressway at the Museum Hill exit, Limuru Road, Bunyala Road, Lusaka Road and sections of the CBD.

“Rescue teams from the humanitarian agency were deployed across affected areas. By Sunday, Aqua Rescue teams had saved 11 passengers trapped inside a marooned matatu along Bunyala Road and rescued two children from a flooded house in Kilimani,” read the Kenya Red Cross report on X.

Both the Nairobi River and Ngong River overflowed following the intense rainfall, leading to widespread flooding that cut off roads and inundated homes.

In South B, residents expressed frustration over recurring flooding, blaming poor drainage infrastructure and blocked waterways.

Mohamed Hussein, a resident of Lagar area, said an old and damaged bridge had worsened the situation.

“When it rains heavily the water overflows everywhere,” he said, calling on the government to construct a proper drainage system to prevent future flooding.

Elsewhere in the city, students at the University of Nairobi were among those affected after floodwaters entered their hostels.

At the university’s ladies hostel known as Hall 20 in the Kilimani area, hundreds of students were forced to spend the night outside after their rooms were flooded.

“I was deep asleep when my friends woke me up crying hysterically. When I stepped down from my bed the room was already full of dirty flood water. It was terrifying,” said Nicole Anyango.

A drive through Kilimani estate on Sunday revealed the extent of the destruction left behind by the floods. Several perimeter walls had collapsed onto sidewalks, while sections of roads had been washed away.

Meanwhile, the National Police Service said it had intensified search and rescue operations following the floods that have affected several parts of the country.

In a statement, police spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga said the number of fatalities linked to the floods had risen to 66 across the country.

The victims include 50 men, eight women and eight children.