NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenya Power confirmed that flooding at its South C substation damaged key infrastructure after part of the facility’s boundary wall collapsed, allowing water to enter the installation.
The incident disrupted electricity to residential and commercial areas, including South B, South C, Nairobi West, Madaraka Estate, Strathmore, Dam Estate, Lang’ata, Wilson Airport, Kenyatta Market, Ngumo Estate, the Industrial Area, Uhuru Gardens, and surrounding neighbourhoods.
In a statement on Saturday, Kenya Power said engineers were deployed to assess the damage and initiate repairs.
“Our engineers are already on site, carefully assessing the damage to electrical equipment and working tirelessly to carry out the necessary tests and repairs. Where possible, we are switching some customers to adjacent substations to ease the impact. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused and thank you for your patience and understanding. Kindly report any power incidents via *977#,” the utility noted.
The floods have claimed at least 10 lives, with Nairobi Police Commander George Seda reporting that eight of the victims were swept away by fast-rising floodwaters. Police and emergency teams are still gathering data and responding to ongoing emergencies.
The heavy rains also caused severe traffic disruptions.
Residents reported spending up to eight hours on the roads as key arteries, including sections of Uhuru Highway, became impassable.
At least 71 vehicles were stranded across the city after drainage systems were overwhelmed.
Governor Johnson Sakaja confirmed that an emergency response team had been activated across Nairobi County.
A multi-agency team, including the National Police Service and Kenya Red Cross Society, coordinated operations to assist affected residents and manage the flooding crisis.
The flooding underscores longstanding concerns over Nairobi’s drainage infrastructure, with experts warning that rapid urbanisation and inadequate planning increase the city’s vulnerability to extreme weather events.
Kenya Power said restoration work is ongoing and urged residents to exercise caution near flooded areas while the utility continues efforts to stabilise the electricity supply.
