NAIROBI, Kenya — Heavy downpours across several parts of Kenya have triggered flash floods, leaving motorists stranded, disrupting transport, and prompting emergency rescue operations, according to the Kenya Red Cross Society.
Rising water levels were reported along Mombasa Road near the Eastern Bypass, where sections of the busy highway became flooded, causing major traffic disruptions and raising safety concerns for motorists.
The National Police Service urged drivers to exercise caution as emergency teams continued monitoring affected areas.
In Mukuru kwa Njenga, one of Nairobi’s largest informal settlements, there were unconfirmed reports of missing persons and households cut off by floodwaters as the rains intensified.
Kenya Red Cross emergency teams from Nairobi were deployed to assess the situation and coordinate possible rescue operations in the affected neighbourhoods.
Flash flooding was also reported near T-Mall along Lang’ata Road after a vehicle became trapped inside a flooded ditch with occupants still inside.
Emergency responders successfully evacuated all those trapped in the vehicle, with no injuries reported.
In Kajiado County, three people were rescued after their lorry became stuck in floodwaters from the swollen Kandisi River along Magadi Road.
Authorities said the swift rescue operation prevented the situation from escalating into a fatal incident.
Further north, flash floods were also reported in Moyale, Marsabit County, underscoring the widespread impact of the ongoing rains across the country.
The Kenya Red Cross said it remained on high alert and ready to deploy additional search and rescue teams if conditions worsen.
The flooding incidents come amid warnings from the Kenya Meteorological Service Authority that heavy rainfall is expected to continue during the first week of May, increasing the risk of floods, landslides, and displacement in vulnerable areas.
On Wednesday, the government urged residents living in flood-prone regions to remain vigilant and avoid crossing flooded roads, rivers, and drainage channels during heavy rains.
Kenya has experienced repeated flooding incidents in recent weeks following intensified rainfall across several counties, with authorities warning that poor drainage systems and settlement in riparian areas continue to heighten risks in urban centres such as Nairobi.
