According to the Nairobi Police Commander George Seda, eight of the victims were swept away by fast-moving floodwaters as the downpour overwhelmed drainage systems and flooded major roads across the capital.
Speaking during a phone interview with Radio Citizen on Saturday, March 7, Seda stated that police officers and emergency response teams were still responding to incidents across the city while gathering data on casualties and damage caused by the floods.
Seda further revealed that several victims died while trapped inside their vehicles after roads became submerged and impassable.
In addition to the eight who drowned, two other people died in separate electrocution incidents in different parts of the county during the heavy rainfall.
In another tragic case, a man reportedly died after his vehicle was swept away by floodwaters near the Kitengela River. Police have since launched a search operation to recover his body.
Authorities also confirmed that at least 71 vehicles were either destroyed, stranded, or trapped across the city after key roads became flooded.
The police commander warned that the number of casualties could rise as rescue teams continue searching for missing persons and assessing the damage.
The heavy rains came shortly after warnings from the Kenya Meteorological Department, which had cautioned that intense rainfall within 24 hours could trigger flash floods, particularly in urban areas with poor drainage systems.
The department urged residents to avoid crossing flooded roads and drainage channels, noting that the rains were expected to continue for several days.
Videos circulating online showed vehicles submerged in water in various parts of the city, including sections of Uhuru Highway and several streets in the central business district.
According to the Kenya Red Cross, flooding disrupted traffic on several major roads, including Mbagathi Way, Mombasa Road between South C and the JKIA exit toward Kyumbi, Thika Superhighway between Githurai and Kahawa Sukari, Jogoo Road, Lunga Lunga Road, Enterprise Road, and Lang’ata Road near T-Mall.
Apart from the road networks, many residential areas also experienced severe flooding. Estates such as Pipeline and Embakasi reported significant damage, while Kware Road was completely cut off due to rising water levels.
Other areas affected by the floods include Mukuru Kwa Njenga, Reuben, Viwandani, Kibra, Mathare, Huruma, Baba Dogo, Bosnia, South B, South C, Nairobi West, Lang’ata, Umoja 3, Chokaa, Njiru, Ruai, Utawala, Roysambu, Kahawa West, Githurai, Loresho, and parts of Westlands.
In some of the worst-hit informal settlements, residents were forced to spend the night in cold and wet conditions after the swollen Nairobi River overflowed and flooded nearby homes.
In response to the crisis, Johnson Sakaja, the Governor of Nairobi County, ordered the activation of a 24-hour rapid response system to address emergencies and support affected residents.
The governor also urged city residents to remain cautious as the rains are expected to continue for several days before easing around Wednesday, March 11, according to forecasts from the Kenya Meteorological Department.
The heavy rains came shortly after warnings from the Kenya Meteorological Department, which had cautioned that intense rainfall within 24 hours could trigger flash floods, particularly in urban areas with poor drainage systems.
The department urged residents to avoid crossing flooded roads and drainage channels, noting that the rains were expected to continue for several days.
Videos circulating online showed vehicles submerged in water in various parts of the city, including sections of Uhuru Highway and several streets in the central business district.
According to the Kenya Red Cross, flooding disrupted traffic on several major roads, including Mbagathi Way, Mombasa Road between South C and the JKIA exit toward Kyumbi, Thika Superhighway between Githurai and Kahawa Sukari, Jogoo Road, Lunga Lunga Road, Enterprise Road, and Lang’ata Road near T-Mall.
Apart from the road networks, many residential areas also experienced severe flooding. Estates such as Pipeline and Embakasi reported significant damage, while Kware Road was completely cut off due to rising water levels.
Other areas affected by the floods include Mukuru Kwa Njenga, Reuben, Viwandani, Kibra, Mathare, Huruma, Baba Dogo, Bosnia, South B, South C, Nairobi West, Lang’ata, Umoja 3, Chokaa, Njiru, Ruai, Utawala, Roysambu, Kahawa West, Githurai, Loresho, and parts of Westlands.
In some of the worst-hit informal settlements, residents were forced to spend the night in cold and wet conditions after the swollen Nairobi River overflowed and flooded nearby homes.
In response to the crisis, Johnson Sakaja, the Governor of Nairobi County, ordered the activation of a 24-hour rapid response system to address emergencies and support affected residents.
The governor also urged city residents to remain cautious as the rains are expected to continue for several days before easing around Wednesday, March 11, according to forecasts from the Kenya Meteorological Department.
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