Days of heavy rain and thunderstorms in Kenya have caused flooding in several areas of the country, including the capital Nairobi.
At least 7 deaths have been reported, including 3 victims who were swept away by floods in Taita Taveta county. As many as 150 people have been forced to evacuate their homes by the flooding.
A man drowned in flood water in Kisumu, where flooding also caused major traffic disruption. Three people died of lightning strike in Tharaka-Nithi County.
Kenya Red Cross said that some families were marooned in Nyeri after heavy rain.
Local media reported that flooding has made roads impassable in parts of the Rift Valley, making it impossible to distribute relief supplies to communities affected by the by the ongoing drought.
More severe weather is expected. Kenya Meteorological Department said in their forecast of 04 March that “rainfall expected over most parts of the country.”
Nairobi Flooding
Heavy rain on Friday 02 March 2018 caused surface flooding in parts of Nairobi, causing major traffic problems. Local media said the worst affected areas included sections of the Central Business District, Westlands, South C Estate, Thika Superhighway and Industrial Area.
The city’s drainage system was once again unable to cope and city officials came under pressure from Nairobi residents to make much needed improvements.
Reporter John Wanjohi from Kenya news source Mwakilishi said:
“This has once again exposed the glaring inability of Nairobi County Government to handle floods. In 2015, former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero used Sh50 million to unblock drains to avert flooding; but floods have continued to wreck havoc in the Kenyan capital each time it rains heavily.”
After the heavy rain, hail was reported in some parts of Nairobi on 03 March, 2018.
