List of Nairobi and Kiambu County roads closed by Kura due to flooding
The Kenya Urban Roads Authority (Kura) has announced the partial closure of roads in Nairobi and Kiambu counties following heavy rains.
In a statement on social media, Kura said Entreprise Road, Eastern Bypass and Thika Bypass were the worst affected by the rains and traffic was being diverted after they were flooded following heavy rains on Tuesday night, April 30.
“Following the heavy rains experienced across the country last night, the following roads in Nairobi and Kiambu counties have been badly affected, leading to partial closure. Enterprise Road, Eastern Bypass and Thika Bypass,” Kura said in a statement.
The authority said traffic police and their technical team are on the ground to direct traffic and enhance safety for motorists. “We will keep you posted as the situation develops.”
Another road also affected is Lang’ata Road in the T-Mall area, which is also impassable due to heavy flooding, making it inaccessible to motorists.
The Thika Superhighway near Kenyatta University is also impassable, stranding motorists and road users for hours as heavy rains continue to pound most of the country.
Meanwhile, six people were rescued on Wednesday morning after floods hit homesteads in Kitengela, Kajado County, following a heavy downpour.
In an update, the Kenya Red Cross said it was still searching for more people in Deliverance Road, Balozi Road, Baraka Road, Blessed Court, New Valley, Changombe and KAG areas.
Heavy rains and devastating flash floods in several parts of the country have left 169 people dead.
Government spokesman Isaac Mwaura confirmed the death toll on Monday evening, following a flash flood in Mai Mahiu on Monday morning had killed at least 48 people and affected scores of others.
“We have lost 169 people since the rains started. The government has also intensified search and rescue operations to find people reported missing,” Mwaura said.
Recent heavy rains have caused major flash floods in Nairobi, Makueni, West Pokot and Machakos counties, resulting in loss of life and property.
The heavy rains have also cut off major roads, disrupted business across the country and forced the postponement of the reopening of schools by a week from Monday.
On Tuesday, the Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD) said in its latest update that Kenyans should expect average to above-average rainfall with occasional storms in May.
This comes as many areas are already experiencing disruptive heavy rains and flooding.
The forecast highlights that April marked the peak of the long rainy season (March-April-May) in most parts of the country, except for the coastal and western regions where the peak is expected this month.
“According to the models we use to make the forecast, this is also one of the places where we expect the season to end in mid-June,” said KMD director David Gikungu.