Floods kill 4, destroy property in Nairobi
Four people are reported dead in Nairobi following heavy downpours that caused flooding and destruction of property.
A report by Nairobi County indicated that the floods had affected close to 60,000 people in Kenya’s capital. Dozens have been reported injured and receiving medical attention.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja on April 24 visited affected victims in Mathare, a low-income residential area. He was accompanied by Ruaraka MP TJ Kajwang.
“All the Emergency Response teams have been deployed to the affected areas to provide the necessary support and manage the situation,” said Sakaja.
Kajwang called on government officials led by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua to move fast to arrest and salvage the deteriorating situation.
“We want to see their faces. We want to see the Deputy President leading the way. He should not ignore us,” said Kajwang.
Sakaja said that Kibra, Lindi, Mathare 4A Mathare North, Baba Dogo, Githurai, and Zimmerman areas were among the most affected by the floods in the County.
Around Mabatini 4A area in Nairobi, a wall was brought down by floods, claiming the life of a middle-aged lady who had moved out of her home to safety with her child, only to go back to the house to pick up some money.
Residents told Nairobi News nobody was daring enough to go and rescue her owing to the situation that escalated in the middle of the night.
“People are dying and there’s nothing we can do. The authorities should come and help because the situation is worsening,” an area resident told Nairobi News.
“We have never witnessed this kind of flooding, not even during the El Nino times.”
Down a nearby river, two more bodies were spotted on the ground.
Some of the residents with health-related complications were attended to by Red Cross officials.
“We are awaiting police to confirm the cause of the deaths and transport bodies to the morgue. More people are trapped at River banks,” an area resident explained.
In Kasarani, residents were left stranded as part of the road linking Mwiki to the Thika Superhighway was submerged by floods.
A motorbike rider was swept away while attempting to cross to the other side. His body was yet to be recovered by press time.
Two vehicles, including a 14-seater matatu and lorry were swept into the river leading to the death of another person.
In a related development, Gachagua held a meeting with elected leaders in the county and senior government officials on the regeneration of Nairobi Rivers to manage floods in the city.
He said: “Our administration has respect for leaders who have been elected to serve the people because they represent the wishes and aspirations of the people.”
The DP urged the leaders to support the rivers regeneration programme since it “is about the people, their future and greening the city”.
President at the meeting were Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, his Water counterpart Zachary Njeru, and Pamela Olet, Nairobi Rivers Commission chairperson.
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