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Floods death toll hits 49, over 2,600 families displaced
Family members leaving the Nairobi City Mortuary on March 10, 2026, after attempts to locate their relatives who went missing after Friday’s floods in the city.
The death toll from the ongoing floods triggered by heavy rains across the country has risen to 49 as search and rescue operations continue in several affected areas, even as meteorologists predict a slight reduction in rainfall in the coming days.
The National Police Service said its officers working alongside other multi-agency response teams remain on the ground conducting rescue missions and evacuating residents from vulnerable locations.
The flooding which intensified following heavy rains on Friday, March 6, has left widespread destruction in Nairobi and other parts of the country.
At least 2,624 families have been displaced from their homes as floodwaters swept through residential areas, forcing many to seek shelter in safer locations, the police said. Infrastructure and property have also suffered significant damage across several regions.
Among the affected facilities are 16 police stations that were inundated by the floods, posing operational challenges for officers.
Despite the disruptions, the service said measures have been put in place to ensure that policing services continue uninterrupted.
Across the Nairobi metropolitan region, rainfall totals over the past week remained unusually high. Data from the Kenya Meteorological Department shows Kabete recorded the highest seven-day rainfall total of 416 millimetres, while Wilson Airport registered the highest 24-hour rainfall of 160 millimetres on March 6.
Eastleigh recorded a total of 250 millimetres during the same period, Dagoretti 197.3 millimetres, Ngong 188.5 millimetres and Thika 116.2 millimetres.
Mr David Koros, assistant director of forecasting services at the Kenya Meteorological Department said the heavy downpours were observed across most parts of the country.
The amount of rain recorded in a single day illustrates the intensity of last week’s downpours. One millimetre of rainfall equals one litre of water over a square metre, meaning 160 millimetres translates to about 160 litres of water falling on every square metre within 24 hours, roughly the equivalent of eight 20 litre jerrycans.
Despite the devastation caused by the rains, the Kenya Meteorological Department now says the country could see some relief in the coming days.
According to the department’s forecast for the period between March 10 and March 16, rainfall is expected to reduce in both spatial coverage and intensity across several parts of the country, although occasional rains will continue in some regions.
Rains to persist
The acting Managing Director of the Kenya Meteorological Department Edward Muriuki cautioned that Kenyans should not assume the rains have ended.
“The rains are expected to decrease in amounts, but it does not mean there will not be rainfall,” he said.
Occasional rainfall is expected to persist in several regions, particularly in the southern parts of the country. Meteorologists also warn of possible isolated heavy downpours in western Kenya, the Lake Victoria Basin, the Central Highlands including Nairobi, parts of the Rift Valley, the south eastern lowlands and the South Coast.
At the same time, daytime temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius are expected in parts of the Coast, the south-eastern lowlands, north-eastern and north-western Kenya. Nighttime temperatures could also fall below 10 degrees Celsius in parts of the Central Highlands, the Central Rift Valley and areas near Mount Kilimanjaro.
Experts say the recent floods highlight the growing vulnerability of Kenyan cities to extreme weather events linked to climate change.
Mr Muriuki said poor drainage systems significantly contributed to last week’s flooding in Nairobi and other urban centres.
“I urge the people to take advantage of this time and prepare their grounds since the flooding we saw last week was a result of clogged areas,” he said.
Communities in the North Rift region have been cautioned of possible floods, landslides and widespread property damage due to the heavy downpour.
Kenya Red Cross officials conduct an assessment in Rachuonyo North, Homa Bay County, on March 8, 2026, following floods that have displaced families in the region
Residents in the Kerio Valley plains and communities living along rivers in West Pokot, Baringo and Trans Nzoia counties have been advised to remain vigilant and relocate temporarily if necessary.
In Elgeyo Marakwet County, Chief Officer in charge of Disaster Management Francis Mutwol urged residents to remain alert, warning that saturated soil on the escarpment has increased the risk of mudslides.
In Trans Nzoia County, areas along the Nzoia River and its tributaries face the risk of flooding if the rivers burst their banks, potentially affecting farmland and residential areas in Saboti and Kwanza sub-counties.
Meanwhile, parts of Eldoret city in Uasin Gishu County have experienced urban flooding, with neighbourhoods such as Annex, Rivatex and Upper Elgon View reporting unplanned power interruptions as the heavy rains disrupted electricity supply.
Reporting bySteve Otieno, Kimani Mwangi, Sammy Lutta and Titus Ominde
