Commuters in Kenya’s capital faced a nightmarish morning after torrential overnight rains triggered severe flooding that crippled major traffic arteries, submerging vehicles and prompting authorities to close key routes.
The heavy downpour that began on Tuesday night and continued into Wednesday caused widespread disruption across Nairobi.
In the central business district, two large trees toppled onto Moi Avenue near Imenti House, blocking the road and impacting businesses until county response teams cleared the obstruction.
However, the worst impact was felt along the critical Thika Superhighway, where sections near Kenyatta University, Kahawa Sukari and Juja were submerged, rendering them impassable.
Long traffic snarl-ups formed, with the tailback at Juja Mall extending for miles in both directions as motorists were diverted onto service lanes.
“Motorists are strongly urged to refrain from attempting to cross the flooded sections until the water levels recede to safe levels,” the Kenya National Highways Authority warned in a series of updates shared on Twitter.
Outside the city, the Namanga Road bridge linking Kitengela to Mombasa Road was completely inundated by flooding on the Athi River, severing the key transport link.
KeNHA advised transporters to take an alternate route via the East African Portland Cement junction.
The incident once again cast a spotlight on Nairobi’s inadequate drainage infrastructure and lack of preparedness for heavy precipitation events, which have become increasingly common due to climate change.
