The bustling streets of Nairobi have come to a standstill as torrential rains continue to lash the city, exacerbating the already dire situation caused by flooding. Abandoned houses, submerged cars in garages, and entire roads cut off by raging waters paint a bleak picture of the Kenyan capital’s current state.
Throughout Tuesday night and into Wednesday, heavy rainfall persisted, leading to the closure of three major roadways for the majority of Wednesday, resulting in significant traffic disruptions.
Residents like Samson Kaingu recount tales of being stranded, with little hope of conducting business as usual. “Travelers and motorists are stuck, and no one is doing any business today. I’ve been stuck here for 30 minutes because people are unwilling to risk moving and being swept away by the waters. We hope the water will recede soon so we can resume normal circulation,” says Kaingu, a Nairobi resident.
Kaingu also voices frustration towards what he perceives as the authorities’ inaction. “I urge the Minister of Transport to stop visiting flooded areas by helicopter; he should take to the roads to get an accurate picture of the situation. He should be on the road for about two weeks to see how people suffer in their travels and, more importantly, how contractors have done a shoddy job in road construction.”
Earlier in the week, a river overflowed from a blocked tunnel in the Mai Mahiu region of western Kenya, sweeping away houses and damaging roads. The incident resulted in 48 deaths and over 80 people missing.
Search and rescue operations are underway in the region, with President William Ruto ordering the military to participate in the efforts on Tuesday. However, residents complain of slow rescue efforts due to a lack of equipment to dig through the debris.
Since mid-March, the torrential rains have claimed over 170 lives, with no relief in sight. The meteorology department predicts further rainfall this week, exacerbating the already dire situation.