KDF and Red Cross Deploy as Heavy Rains Submerge CBD and Major Highways

KDF and Red Cross Deploy as Heavy Rains Submerge CBD and Major Highways

Residents and businesses across Nairobi are assessing widespread damage after intense rainfall on Friday evening triggered severe flooding that submerged major roads, stranded motorists and displaced families in several neighbourhoods across the capital.

The downpour, which began late on March 6, quickly overwhelmed drainage systems, sending water surging through streets in the city centre and surrounding estates. Videos and photographs circulating on social media showed vehicles nearly fully submerged, with some reportedly swept away by fast-moving floodwaters.

Emergency teams from the Kenya Red Cross Society and the Kenya Defence Forces were deployed overnight to rescue stranded residents and restore order along flooded transport corridors.

“Heavy rainfall has caused flooding in several parts of Nairobi and surrounding areas, leading to road closures, property damage, displacement and distress among affected communities,” the Kenya Red Cross said in a statement released Friday night.

Several of Nairobi’s busiest transport routes were severely affected by the flash floods. Authorities confirmed that sections of Uhuru Highway, Mbagathi Way, Mombasa Road between South C and the JKIA exit toward Kyumbi, Thika Superhighway between Githurai and Kahawa Sukari, as well as parts of Jogoo Road, Lunga Lunga Road, Enterprise Road and Lang’ata Road near T-Mall were inundated.

In one widely shared video, passengers aboard a public service vehicle were left stranded on Uhuru Highway near the Haile Selassie exit of the Nairobi Expressway. The 33-seater bus was nearly three-quarters submerged as floodwaters rapidly rose around it.

The footage showed frightened passengers forming a human chain, holding hands as they carefully waded through the water to reach higher ground.

Rescue teams responded to several emergency calls across the city.

“As part of the flood response in Nairobi, Kenya Red Cross first responders rescued 20 people stranded along Kirinyaga Road and moved them to safety,” the humanitarian agency said in an update on Saturday morning.

Beyond the city centre, residential estates across Nairobi also experienced extensive flooding. Roads in many neighbourhoods became impassable as water levels rose to knee height in some areas, trapping residents in their homes and damaging household property.

According to the Red Cross, some of the hardest-hit areas include Pipeline and Embakasi, where Kware Road was cut off by floodwaters. Informal settlements such as Mukuru Kwa Njenga, Reuben, Viwandani, Kibra, Mathare, Huruma and Baba Dogo were also severely affected.

In several of these communities, the situation was worsened by the swelling of the Nairobi River, which overflowed its banks and forced some residents to spend the night outdoors as water flooded their homes.

Other neighbourhoods impacted by the floods include South B, South C, Nairobi West, Lang’ata, Umoja 3, Chokaa, Njiru, Ruai, Utawala, Roysambu, Kahawa West, Githurai, Loresho and parts of Westlands.

As traffic gridlock spread across the capital, the Kenya Defence Forces deployed a military Rapid Response Unit to assist city authorities in managing the crisis.

In a statement, the military said its personnel helped clear blocked roads and restore traffic flow in heavily affected areas.

“KDF conducted traffic control and facilitated the towing of five vehicles to clear the Kariokor–Ring Road roundabout and established traffic control at Mbagathi Roundabout,” the statement said.

Meteorologists have warned that the situation could worsen in the coming days. The Kenya Meteorological Department has forecast continued rainfall as the country enters the long-rains season.

Weather officials indicated that rainfall of up to 20 millimetres could fall between Wednesday and early next week in Nairobi and other regions, raising concerns about further flooding and disruptions.

Emergency agencies are urging residents living near rivers and flood-prone areas to remain vigilant as response teams continue monitoring the situation across the capital.

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KDF and Red Cross Deploy as Heavy Rains Submerge CBD and Major Highways