Aid workers in Nairobi have recovered bodies from floodwaters after overnight flash floods killed at least 23 people and caused widespread destruction across the city.
The floods, which began late Friday night into Saturday, swept away dozens of vehicles, disrupted transport and affected flights at the country’s main airport.
President William Ruto said emergency teams, including soldiers, had been deployed to support rescue and recovery efforts.
In a statement, he also directed that relief food from national strategic reserves be released immediately to assist families affected by the disaster.
In the industrial area of Grogan, a security guard, John Lomayan, said he recognised the body of an elderly roadside egg seller trapped beneath a vehicle that had been carried away by floodwaters when the Nairobi River overflowed its banks.
He said he had earlier seen the man being swept away by the rushing water but did not know where he had ended up until rescuers later found the body under the car.
A bus driver, John Mwai, also described how he used his bus to help move stranded residents to higher ground as the flooding intensified.
The heavy rains also disrupted aviation operations. Kenya Airways said several flights scheduled to land in Nairobi had to be diverted to Mombasa due to the severe weather conditions.
Authorities said some victims were electrocuted after floodwaters damaged electricity infrastructure. The national power supplier, Kenya Power, reported that a substation had been affected, leaving at least 14 neighbourhoods without electricity.
Scientists say climate change is intensifying extreme weather events in East Africa. According to a 2024 study by World Weather Attribution, climate change has made severe rainfall in the region about twice as likely as in the past.
Residents described scenes of devastation, with vehicles, property and other belongings washed away by the strong currents from the swollen Nairobi River.
Source: Wesleyannews.com
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