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Nairobi Flash Floods Kill 23 as River Bursts Banks, Disrupting Flights and Power

Authorities have launched a coordinated rescue, with soldiers deployed as relief food from national reserves is released.

A man looks through the wreckages of private vehicles destroyed following heavy rainfall in the Grogan area, popular for automotive workshops and secondhand spare parts, in downtown Nairobi, Kenya, March 7, 2026. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya
People walk past the wreckages of public transport buses known as matatus, destroyed following heavy rainfall in the Grogan area, popular for automotive workshops and secondhand spare parts, in downtown Nairobi, Kenya, March 7, 2026. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya
A woman walks past the wreckages of private vehicles destroyed following heavy rainfall in the Grogan area, popular for automotive workshops and secondhand spare parts, in downtown Nairobi, Kenya, March 7, 2026. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya
People walk along a steel foot-bridge over the overflowing Nairobi River following heavy rainfall in the Grogan area, popular for automotive workshops and secondhand spare parts, in downtown Nairobi, Kenya, March 7, 2026. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya

Overview

  • Overnight downpours sent the Nairobi River over its banks, with aid workers recovering bodies from floodwaters and from beneath swept-away vehicles.
  • Kenya Airways reported flight disruptions to the capital, with several services diverted to Mombasa as operations at the main airport faced delays.
  • Kenya Power said floodwaters damaged equipment at a substation, listing 14 neighbourhoods affected by outages and infrastructure harm.
  • President William Ruto announced the deployment of emergency responders, including soldiers, and ordered immediate distribution of food from strategic reserves.
  • Residents described rapid, high-velocity waters and improvised rescues, and some fatalities were reported to involve electrocution from damaged power lines.