At least 10 people have died in flash floods that swept through Nairobi overnight Friday, according to police officials coordinating rescue operations across Kenya's capital. Aid workers were pulling bodies from floodwaters as of early Saturday morning, with authorities warning the death toll could rise as search efforts continue in submerged neighborhoods.
The flooding has paralyzed major sections of the city and forced disruptions at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), East Africa's largest air transport hub. Kenya Airways diverted multiple flights to Mombasa, and airport officials reported roof leakages and temporary operational halts. At least 71 vehicles were swept away or stranded as torrential rains overwhelmed drainage systems across central and suburban districts.
Casualties and infrastructure impact
Police confirmed that six victims drowned and two died from electrocution as floodwaters inundated the South C substation, triggering widespread power outages across South B, South C, Nairobi West, and Langata estates. The Kenya Red Cross reported rescuing at least 20 people from flood-affected areas, while a military Rapid Response Unit joined aid workers and police in ongoing evacuation efforts.
Major arteries including Uhuru Highway, Mombasa Road, and key routes through the Central Business District, South C, Thika Road, and Westlands remained impassable Saturday morning. Public Service and Special Programmes Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku convened a high-level emergency meeting to coordinate government response measures as the crisis unfolded.
Members are reading: Why climate-driven rainfall patterns are outpacing Nairobi's infrastructure capacity and what the rest of the rainy season might bring.
Emergency response continues
The government has deployed multiple agencies to coordinate rescue operations, with aid organizations establishing temporary shelters for displaced residents. As of Saturday morning, emergency crews continued search operations in areas where vehicles were swept away, while engineers worked to restore power to affected neighborhoods and assess damage to critical infrastructure.
The flooding highlights Kenya's vulnerability to extreme weather events during seasonal transitions. While the Moroccan government has evacuated over 108,000 people from similar flood threats, Nairobi's response capacity remains constrained by rapid urbanization that has outpaced drainage infrastructure development. Airport operations are expected to normalize as water recedes, but disruptions may continue if forecast rainfall materializes over the weekend.
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