At least 10 people have been confirmed dead after overnight flash floods struck Nairobi, sweeping away vehicles, submerging streets, and disrupting flight operations at East Africa’s busiest airport, authorities reported.
Emergency responders and aid workers were seen pulling bodies from floodwaters across the city on Saturday as rescue operations continued. In the industrial area of Grogan, witnesses recounted seeing the body of an elderly roadside egg vendor trapped beneath a car that had been carried away by raging floodwaters after the Nairobi River overflowed its banks.
A security guard, 34-year-old John Lomayan, said he watched helplessly as the man was swept away by the floodwaters.
“I saw him being carried by the water from up there. We didn’t know where he had gone. It is only now that we see him under the car,” he said.
A reporter confirmed that at least three bodies were recovered from underneath submerged vehicles, while police authorities stated that the death toll had reached 10 at the time of reporting.
Scientists have linked the increasing frequency of extreme weather events in East Africa to global warming, noting that rainfall patterns are becoming more intense and concentrated over shorter periods.
A 2024 World Weather Attribution study suggested that climate change has doubled the likelihood of catastrophic rainfall events in the region.
Kenya Airways confirmed that the heavy rains disrupted flight operations to Nairobi, forcing several flights to be diverted to the coastal city of Mombasa.
Emergency agencies continue search and rescue operations as authorities assess the full impact of the disaster across affected communities in Kenya.
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