Nairobi Flood Crisis: More than 69 Dead as Authorities Flag Vulnerable Areas

(Edwin Nyamasyo via Getty Images)

Floods hit yet again in Nairobi on Saturday evening, raising the death toll to 69.

The floods, according to the Kenya Red Cross, hit Parklands, the Central Business District (CBD), the University of Nairobi hostels, Ngong Road around the Ngando area, Lower Kabete, Kibera, South B, Kawangware, Lang’ata, Lavington, Grogan, Eastleigh, and Riruta.

Meanwhile, commutes on the Nairobi Expressway near the Museum Hill exit, as well as Limuru Road, Bunyala Road, and Lusaka Road, experienced upheavals due to flood currents. Additionally, the Ministry of Interior and National Administration has further identified flood-prone areas and has advised citizens to take keen note to avoid more disasters.

Several parts of Nairobi have been identified as highly exposed to flooding, particularly neighborhoods located near the city’s river channels. Among the areas cited are Madaraka, Nairobi West, Lang’ata, Kawangware, Kangemi, Lavington, Westlands, Parklands, Kitisuru, Spring Valley, Kileleshwa, and Chiromo. Other communities facing similar risks include Mathare, Korogocho, and Lucky Summer, where many homes and informal settlements sit close to the banks of the Mathare River, leaving residents vulnerable when water levels rise after heavy rainfall.

Flood concerns have also been raised in busy commercial and trading zones such as the Central Business District, Globe Cinema Roundabout, Gikomba Market, Eastleigh, and the Industrial Area, areas intersected by sections of the Nairobi River.

Further south of the city, neighborhoods along the Ngong River have also been highlighted as susceptible to flooding. These include Kilimani, Kibera, South C, South B, Mukuru Kwa Reuben, and Kwa Njenga, where heavy rains can quickly lead to rising water levels in nearby settlements.