At least 23 people have died after severe flash floods struck Kenya’s capital, Nairobi flights to Nairobi were disrupted, with some diverted to the coastal city of Mombasa intercepted water currents created hazardous conditions.
Kenyan President William Ruto deployed emergency responders, including soldiers, to assist with rescue operations. He announced the immediate release of relief food from national strategic reserves to support affected families.
Nairobi Regional Police Commander George Seda warned that the death toll could rise as several people remain unaccounted for. Emergency teams continue to monitor rivers and drainage channels as rains persist.
Experts say climate change is intensifying floods and droughts across East Africa by concentrating rainfall into shorter, more severe bursts. A 2024 World Weather Attribution study found that climate change has made extreme rainfall events in the region twice as likely as before.
Resident Cedric Mwanza described the devastation: “So many cars, so much stuff, I don’t know. Everything was just washed away. All of the water came from that river.”
The flooding has also damaged electricity infrastructure, causing outages in parts of the city. Technicians are working to restore power while emergency crews assist stranded residents and assess property damage.
