Kenya: Nairobi Bears Brunt of Weekend Downpours As Floods Sweep Across the City

Nairobi experienced exceptionally heavy rainfall over the weekend, with torrential downpours triggering devastating floods that have killed at least forty-two people and displaced more than 50,000 across the country, authorities confirmed.

Data from the Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD) shows the capital recorded some of the highest rainfall totals between Friday and Saturday, overwhelming drainage systems and causing widespread flooding in multiple neighborhoods.

Mary Kilavi, Assistant Director at KMD, said the agency had warned of intense rainfall from March 4 to March 8.

"We had indicated that we would experience very heavy rainfall amounts from the 4th up to the 8th," Kilavi said Monday in an interview with Citizen TV.

"We saw the rains begin to subside slightly on Sunday, and current model forecasts suggest a gradual reduction in rainfall amounts and spatial coverage in the coming days."

Rainfall measurements collected from monitoring stations across Nairobi revealed staggering totals over the two-day period.

Upto 160mm rainfall

At Moi Air Base, meteorologists recorded 67.3 millimeters of rainfall on Friday and 145 millimeters on Saturday.

Dagoretti received 51.3 millimeters on Friday, followed by 112 millimeters on Saturday.

Wilson Airport registered 88 millimeters on Friday and 160 millimeters the following day, while Kabete recorded 121 millimeters on Friday and 117 millimeters on Saturday, having already received 144 millimeters earlier in the week on March 2.

Ngong and the surrounding areas also experienced significant rainfall, recording about 116 millimeters on Friday.

The intense rainfall contributed to widespread flooding that damaged homes, businesses, and infrastructure across Nairobi and other regions.

Kenya Red Cross said the human toll continues to rise.

"The most recent data shows that 42 people are dead and over 50,000 displaced across the country," said Dr. Ahmed Idris, Secretary General of the Kenya Red Cross.

"Unfortunately, we anticipate this number will increase as search and recovery operations continue and teams look for missing people."

Government officials confirmed that Nairobi accounted for the majority of fatalities, with police reports indicating 26 deaths in the capital, 10 in Eastern Kenya, four in the Rift Valley region, and one each in Nyanza and Coast regions.

Authorities said the torrential rains caused extensive destruction, road closures, and forced evacuations in several flood-prone areas, emphasizing the urgent need for preparedness and infrastructure improvements to mitigate future disasters.

This article originally appeared on Capital FM.