At least 23 people have died in flash floods that swept through Nairobi, police reported Saturday, as search and rescue efforts continue amid widespread destruction.
Heavy rains hit the Kenyan capital late Friday, turning streets into rivers and submerging thousands of homes and businesses.
Rescue teams are still retrieving bodies and aiding trapped residents, while AFP journalists observed severe damage across the city—from crowded slums to affluent neighborhoods like Parklands.
“The river banks broke as the rains continued and cars were swept off and water flowed into our shops destroying property for many people,” said Frederick Wasonga, who sells car accessories in the city centre.
Derrick Juma, a panel beater in the same area, said two of his neighbours had died.
“One person was electrocuted… Another one was heavily rained on and as he took cover outside a restaurant, he died out in the cold,” Juma told AFP.
Police said they had rescued at least 29 people overnight and “remain fully deployed, actively responding to distress calls and continuing with search and rescue missions” as more rain started to fall late Saturday.
“We are seeing devastation… A huge number of areas in the city were affected, but also counties all over the country,” Kenyan Red Cross spokesman Munir Ahmed told AFP.
President William Ruto said he had ordered the deployment of an emergency response team to coordinate rescue efforts.
“We recognise that these floods once again highlight the urgent need for lasting solutions to the perennial challenge of flooding in our urban areas,” he said on X.
There was widespread anger at Nairobi governor Johnson Sakaja, who had vowed to deal with drainage and road infrastructure when he took office in 2022.