NAIROBI, March 7, 2026 — What began as a typical Friday evening commute quickly turned into a nightmare for thousands of Nairobi residents as torrential rains lashed the capital, leaving a trail of destruction, gridlock, and tragedy. By Saturday morning, police confirmed that at least 10 people had died in the city due to the overnight floods.

A Deadly Deluge

Nairobi Police Commander George Seda reported that eight of the victims were swept away by raging floodwaters, some while trapped inside their vehicles. Two others lost their lives to electrocution as water interfaced with downed power lines.

The scale of the disaster was visible across the city. In the Central Business District, the Sunken Car Park along Aga Khan Walk became a literal lake, with water levels rising halfway up parked cars. On Mombasa Road, commuters formed human chains to wade through chest-high water, while the Moja Expressway briefly opened its gates for free to help motorists escape the submerged lower roads.

The Hardest Hit Areas

While the entire city felt the impact, low-lying areas and informal settlements bore the brunt:

  • Residential Estates: Pipeline, Embakasi, and South C saw homes flooded and roads completely cut off.

  • Informal Settlements: Mukuru Kwa Njenga, Kibra, Mathare, and Huruma reported significant property damage as rivers burst their banks.

  • Infrastructure: Karura Forest was forced to close several paths after its rivers overflowed, and Nairobi National Park reported slippery, impassable tracks.

Military and Emergency Response

By Friday night, the KDF’s Military Rapid Response Unit was deployed to the Kariokor–Ring Road and Mbagathi Roundabouts to tow stalled vehicles and restore some semblance of traffic flow. The Kenya Red Cross has been working around the clock, though they suffered their own tragedy earlier this week when veteran volunteer Samuel Wangila died during a rescue operation in the Mbagathi River.

What Lies Ahead?

The Kenya Meteorological Department has warned that this is just the beginning. The "long rains" (March-April-May season) are being driven by moist air masses from the Congo Basin. Heavy rainfall exceeding 20mm is expected to persist through March 9, particularly in:

  • The Lake Victoria Basin and Western Kenya

  • The Central Highlands (including Nairobi)

  • The Coastal region and Southeastern lowlands

Safety Advisory: Authorities are urging Kenyans to avoid crossing swollen rivers—even in vehicles—and to stay away from grilled windows and trees during storms to avoid lightning strikes