NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Twenty-three people died, flights were disrupted and the military was deployed as motorists in the Kenyan capital were stranded for hours on Saturday after roads were flooded following heavy rains overnight.
George Seda, the police boss in Nairobi, said Saturday that some of the people drowned and others were electrocuted, warning that the death toll may rise as search and rescue operations continue. Seda also said that more than
100 vehicles were damaged, with some overturning on the roadside and in parking bays.
Kenya Airways Saturday said flights were disrupted, with some diverted to the coastal city of Mombasa, and that disruptions would continue for hours.
The military was deployed to assist emergency rescue services, and the local toll road operator waived fees for an elevated road.
Heavy rain began on Friday and continued overnight, submerging vehicles and forcing motorists in some areas to wade through hip-high water to reach higher ground.
Videos of flooded homes and overturned vehicles were shared on social media.
A military rescue unit was deployed overnight to support emergency services as Kenya Red Cross response units struggled to reach people in need.
Kenya Red Cross Secretary-General Ahmed Idris said search and rescue teams were working tirelessly to assist those stranded.
“We are severely limited by the traffic and the situation on what used to be roads. We are doing our best to reach those in need,” he wrote on X.
Kenya's Public Service Minister Geoffrey Ruku said Saturday that he was coordinating national disaster preparedness, response, and recovery efforts. He urged Kenyans to be cautious and prioritize their safety.
Some residents blamed the flooding on clogged drainage systems, stating that city authorities ought to have prepared by ensuring there was functional drainage infrastructure ahead of the rainy season.
One resident, Aisha Bajaber, wrote on X, “The whole city is flooded yet again. How long will officials keep ignoring the lack of drainage?”
Rains have been pounding the country since late February, which marks the start of the long-rains season.
Previous rain seasons have seen flooding, landslides and mudslides that have left hundreds of people dead and seen thousands of others displaced.
