10 people killed in Nairobi as heavy overnight rains trigger floods

Ten people have been confirmed dead in Nairobi following the devastating floods that struck the city on Friday.
Nairobi Police Commander George Seda said eight of the victims were swept away by fast-rising floodwaters, with some dying while inside vehicles that were carried away by the raging currents.

Seda added that two other victims died in separate electrocution incidents during the floods in different parts of the county.

According to the county police boss, at least 71 vehicles were trapped or stranded across the city after major roads became impassable due to the heavy flooding.

Speaking to Radio Citizen, Seda warned that the death toll could rise as search and rescue operations continue in several areas severely affected by the floods.

Residents across Nairobi woke up to flooded neighbourhoods, stranded motorists and widespread disruption on Saturday morning after the heavy downpour left several parts of the city submerged and major roads impassable.

According to the Secretary General of the Kenya Red Cross Society, Ahmed Idris, multiple residential estates and informal settlements were severely affected as floodwaters surged through low-lying areas and along river corridors.

Among the hardest-hit areas were Pipeline and Embakasi, where sections of Kware Road were completely cut off by floodwaters. Other affected neighbourhoods include Mukuru Kwa Njenga, Reuben, Viwandani, Kibra, Mathare, Huruma, Baba Dogo and Bosnia.

Flooding was also reported in South B and South C, Nairobi West and Lang’ata, as well as Umoja 3, Chokaa, Njiru, Ruai and Utawala. In northern and western parts of the city, Roysambu along Kamiti Road, Kahawa West, Githurai, Loresho and sections of Westlands also experienced rising waters.

Major highways and urban roads were heavily disrupted, with some rendered impassable through the night. The Kenya Red Cross Society reported that traffic snarl-ups stretched into the early hours of Saturday morning as motorists struggled to navigate flooded sections.

The most affected transport corridors included roads within the central business district and surrounding feeder routes such as Museum Hill, Uhuru Park and Uhuru Highway, as well as Mbagathi Way.

Floodwaters also disrupted traffic along Mombasa Road near South C, Bellevue, the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport exit and Kyumbi junction.

On Thika Superhighway, motorists reported difficult driving conditions around Githurai, Kahawa Sukari and Kenyatta Road.

Other roads experiencing severe flooding included Lunga Lunga Road near the Kenya Power and Lighting Company depot, Limuru Road near the Belgian Embassy, Jogoo Road, Enterprise Road, Lang’ata Road near T-Mall, Riverside Drive, Kawangware at Amboseli, Kamukunji and Kabete.

Emergency response teams, including the military, were deployed overnight to assist stranded residents and restore mobility in affected areas.

The Kenya Red Cross Society said its first responders rescued at least 20 people who had been stranded along Kirinyaga Road after floodwaters overwhelmed parts of the area. The victims were safely evacuated as teams continued to monitor the situation and support affected communities.

A military Rapid Response Unit was also mobilised to support emergency operations in the city. The unit conducted traffic control operations and facilitated the towing of five vehicles that had stalled at the Kariokor–Ring Road roundabout due to the swollen Nairobi River, helping restore traffic flow.

Additional traffic management was set up at the Mbagathi Roundabout, which had also been affected by flooding.

The Kenya Meteorological Department has warned that intense rainfall is expected to continue in most parts of the country, increasing the risk of flooding, swollen rivers and transport disruption.

In response to the unfolding situation, Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes CS Geoffrey Ruku announced that an emergency coordination meeting will be held on Saturday morning bringing together key national disaster response agencies.

The meeting will involve the State Department for Special Programmes, the National Police Service, the National Youth Service, the St. John Ambulance Kenya, as well as the National Disaster Management Unit, the National Disaster Operations Centre and the National Drought Management Authority.

Authorities say the meeting will focus on accelerating response measures and strengthening coordination among emergency agencies as the country braces for continued rainfall.