Flash Floods Cause Deaths And Disrupt Transport Across Several Parts of Kenya

Severe flooding triggered by heavy rains has caused property destruction and transport disruptions countrywide with authorities reporting multiple deaths.

In Nairobi, flash floods have so far claimed at least 23 lives, while 29 people have been rescued from affected areas. Authorities have also reported that more than 71 vehicles were swept away by the fast-moving floodwaters.

Several neighborhoods, including Mukuru, Kibra and Mathare, have been severely affected, with homes flooded and residents forced to flee to safer areas. Rescue operations are ongoing as emergency teams continue searching for missing persons.

The government has advised families with missing relatives to visit the Nairobi City Mortuary to assist in the identification of victims recovered during rescue operations.

Transport has been heavily disrupted across several key highways due to flooding.

Along the busy Nairobi–Mombasa Highway, traffic was temporarily paralyzed after a river burst its banks near Sultan Hamud, flooding sections of the road and leaving motorists stranded.

In another incident, River Risonto burst its banks near Sotik and Chepilat, bringing transport along the Sotik–Kisii road to a standstill as floodwaters covered parts of the highway.

Meanwhile, the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) announced the closure of the Mai Mahiu–Suswa–Narok Road at Kedong Ranch due to rising floodwaters that made the route unsafe for motorists.

KeNHA has advised drivers traveling in the area to use the Ngong–Suswa Road as an alternative route and to strictly follow instructions from traffic marshals deployed along affected roads.

In response to the crisis, the Military Rapid Response Unit was deployed overnight to assist emergency teams in rescue operations and traffic management in flood-hit areas.

Authorities are working with disaster response teams to evacuate residents trapped in flooded neighborhoods and to clear debris from affected roads.

To ease traffic congestion caused by flooding along the A8 highway, authorities temporarily allowed motorists to use the Nairobi Expressway free of charge between 9:00 PM and 11:00 PM.

Officials have warned that the death toll could rise as rescue operations continue .

The intense and rapid flooding has disrupted transport, damaged property and slowed business activities in many parts of the country, prompting renewed calls for improved drainage systems and disaster preparedness measures.