NAIROBI, Kenya – Nairobi was hit by flash floods after heavy rains pounded the Kenyan capital for over 5 hours, destroying homes and submerging roads while the military were dispatched to help in rescue efforts.
Nairobi authorities stated that hours of incessant downpour led to increasing of floods in several residential areas in Nairobi late Saturday, washing away houses and cars and trapping residents in low-lying parts of the city.
According to Kenya government officials, 23 people died while dozens were rescued in floodwaters that swamped the capital city, though not all bodies were recovered due to water levels and collapsing houses.
Emergency teams indicated that the most affected areas were the informal settlements and those living by riversides which quickly filled up with water due to the volume and length of the rainfall.
A section of the Kenya Defence Forces were dispatched to aid local rescue services in dealing with the widespread flooding as local rescuers were seemingly overwhelmed.
The military, alongside police, fire services, and several disaster relief teams were dispatched to help in rescue operations of residents trapped in their houses and even those stuck on top of their cars and on the roofs of their houses.
Several major and smaller roads in and out of Nairobi were submerged by water, paralyzing traffic in the city.
Search for potential survivors trapped in buildings or still stuck in various flooded areas was ongoing into the night.
Kenya disaster management warned those in flood prone areas to seek safety as rescue efforts focused on trying to access some areas where bodies might have been trapped under wreckage and rubble, trying to access the overall impact of the disaster.
Various parts of the country were hit by heavy rains in the last couple of days which is also causing an increase of fear in further flooding as the raining season becomes more intense.
