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Rains to continue this week across parts of Kenya, Weatherman warns

Eastleigh’s 2nd Avenue, Nairobi after heavy rains on March 24, 2024. (Photo: Amin Abdullahi/EV)

By Lucy Mumbi | 25 Mar 2024

On Sunday night, heavy rains pounded Nairobi, resulting in the deaths of four people including a police officer.

The Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD) has announced that several parts of the country will continue experiencing heavy rainfall until Wednesday.

On Sunday night, heavy rains pounded Nairobi, resulting in the deaths of four people including a police officer and flooding in most areas.

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Floods were reported in sections of the Central Business District, Westlands, Eastleigh 2nd Avenue, and the Nairobi Expressway among other areas across the city.

The relentless rain overwhelmed drainage systems, leading to significant flooding on various sections of city roads.

A video seen by The Eastleigh Voice showed motorists being caught off-guard as floodwaters raged down a section of the 27.36 km Nairobi Expressway, disrupting the start of a busy week.

In the video, a Chinese man wearing a green reflector was seen directing motorists to pass slowly by the floods, with the water reaching knee level.

Nairobi Expressway flooded after Sunday night's heavy rains.

📹: Handout pic.twitter.com/4nWuG8AfKp
— The Eastleigh Voice (@Eastleighvoice) March 25, 2024

In its latest weather bulletin, KMD Director Kennedy Thiong’o warned of isolated storms over some parts of the country.

“Rainfall is expected over some parts of the Highlands East and West of the Rift Valley, the Lake Victoria Basin, the Rift Valley, the South-eastern lowlands, and the Coast and North-western,” he said.

The Highlands West of the Rift Valley, the Lake Victoria Basin, and the Rift Valley are likely to experience rainfall, showers, and thunderstorms during the day, showers over several places at night, with maximum temperatures of 33 degrees Celsius and minimum temperatures of more than 10 degrees Celsius.

The North-western region, including Turkana and Samburu counties, will experience a maximum of 40 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 15 degrees Celsius, with isolated rainfall in parts of the region.

However, parts of northeastern Kenya are likely to be generally sunny and dry.

With heavy rains pounding, traffic snarls up in various parts of the capital.

On Monday morning, heavy traffic was experienced along Thika Road Expressway, Kenyatta Avenue, Uhuru Highway, and Haile Selassie, with commuters in Public Service Vehicles and personal cars eager to reach their destination on time.

In January, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja emphasised the need for the government to invest heavily in the expansion of drainages to solve the flooding situation.

He noted that while most drainages had been cleared, excess water still caused flooding, necessitating further investment.

"We have already cleared most drainages which were done by the green army but when you pour excess water, it will flood but it will settle. However, to solve the flooding situation, we need to invest heavily in the expansion of drainage," he said.

Last year, he also called for the demolition of structures along drainage lines, citing their role in blocking sewer lines and causing overflow in drainages.