Thousands displaced, roads cut off as heavy rains continue across Kenya
Motorists drive through a flooded section of Kenyatta Avenue in Nairobi on March 20, 2026, following heavy rainfall.
What you need to know:
- The Kenya Meteorological Department on Saturday said rain would continue to pound various areas of the country.
- The ongoing heavy rains have claimed more 73 lives according to the National Police, and displaced thousands of people.
Hundreds of families were on Saturday living away from their homes as various bridges were submerged across the country as heavy rain continued to pound various regions.
And whereas displacement has commonly been a phenomenon only witnessed in rural areas, residents of the southern parts of Nairobi are now being asked to be vigilant and to consider moving to higher grounds.
The affected are the families living near the Nairobi Dam off Lang’ata Road. A precautionary notice issued on Friday by the Water Resources Authority (WRA) stated that there is a risk of water in the dam overshooting its barriers.
A woman wades through a flooded section of Moi Avenue in Nairobi on March 20, 2026, following heavy rainfall.
The notice stated that people living or working downstream of the dam should stay alert and move to higher ground to avoid danger from potential flooding.
“Due to the ongoing heavy rains, residents living downstream of Nairobi Dam are warned of imminent flood risk due to the rising water levels in the reservoir which threaten breaching of the dam embankment,” part of the notice reads.
Some of the areas that could be affected include Nairobi West, South C, South B, and its environs as well as Kibera, Lang’ata, and Madaraka.
This comes amid the ongoing heavy rains which has claimed more 73 lives according to the National Police, and displaced thousands of people.
Nairobi County has been heavily affected by the floods, prompting Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja to step up the prevention measures by clearing the drainage system and bringing down some of the structures blocking the waterways.
As the downpour covering almost half of Kenya continued, bridges on major roads were submerged. Among them is the bridge over River Kipsonoi in Mugeni, Bomet County. A statement issued on Saturday by the Kenya National Highways Authority (Kenha) said the flooding over the bridge had rendered it unsafe for vehicles.
“The situation has been occasioned by heavy rainfall in the upstream catchment areas, resulting in a significant rise in water levels,” said the statement signed by Kenha’s Director-General Luka Kimeli.
“Motorists are strongly advised to exercise caution and strictly adhere to instructions issued by police officers and traffic marshals on site to ensure their safety,” it added.
The statement further provided alternative routes that motorists can use to connect Chebilat and Keroka and also to link Bomet and Kisii.
On Thursday, the Maai Mahiu-Suswa-Narok road also experienced some blockage caused by flooding and silt disposition at the Kedong Ranch near Suswa. This saw Kenha release a statement asking motorists to take caution as it worked towards reopening the stretch.
“Motorists who have not yet commenced their journeys are advised to delay travel until floodwaters subside,” said Mr Kimeli in a statement issued on Thursday. The authority provided alternative routes for those who could not avoid travelling.
As that unfolded, the Kenya Meteorological Department on Saturday said rain would continue to pound various areas of the country.
A man wades through a flooded section of Moi Avenue in Nairobi on March 20, 2026, following heavy rainfall.
“Isolated heavy rainfall events are likely in some parts of the highlands east and west of the Rift Valley, Lake Victoria Basin, Rift Valley, south-eastern lowlands, Coast, and parts of the northwest and north-eastern,” the department noted.
The department had earlier notified the public about the rains that fell towards the end of the week.
“Rainfall is likely to intensify and peak between March 20 and 23,” it said.
Across the country, Kenyans were left in a dire situation due to mass displacement.
In Homa Bay, community health workers confirmed that 11 villages have been affected, with 591 households and a total population of 2,877 currently living in camps.
Ms Verolyn Danga, a community health worker at Kobala Community Health Unit, said residents were evacuated by boat and are now in relatively safer areas, although access to healthcare remains difficult due to flooding.
The chairman of the Disaster Committee, Mr Hesbon Belle, said at least 57 people are currently housed in one evacuation centre, with food supplies already depleted.
The Homa Bay residents displaced by floods after River Sondu Miriu burst its banks continue to grapple with worsening health conditions, food shortages, and inadequate shelter in camps across affected areas.
Ms Isca Akoth, a resident, decried lack of essential supplies in the camps, including food, mosquito nets, and mattresses’, adding that overcrowding has stripped families of privacy.
She called on the government to provide a long-term solution, including the construction of buffer zones to prevent future displacement.
Ms Faith Achieng, another resident, reported a surge in airborne diseases within the camps, saying the situation has severely affected families, particularly children and pregnant women who are more vulnerable due to weakened immunity.
In Kisumu, at least 311 households in Nyakach were still seeking temporary shelter following the heavy downpour that left them displaced.
Another 628 households are counting losses following the heavy downpour witnessed in different parts of the country.
Motorists drive through Nairobi's Central Business District under rainfall on March 20, 2026.
Among the most affected areas in Nyakach. Mr Fred Koga, the assistant chief for Sango in Nyakach sub-county, said that while the victims have received a number of donations, a lot more still needs to be done to ensure their safety amid the humanitarian crisis.
“One of our major challenges now is accommodation of the teenage boys who are not allowed to share spaces with the women and girls in the evacuation centre,” said Mr Koga.
“Each time during a crisis, the boys are forced to integrate in homes within the higher grounds away from their families. It is never easy,” he added.
In Narok, Governor Patrick Ntutu said on Saturday that the town is today at a lower risk of flooding due to various mitigation measures.
“[It is] due to opening up of drainages and relocating business premises and housing units on water ways,” the governor said on Saturday.
Mr Ntutu, however, called on the residents to be cautious so as to avoid disasters from occurring and loss of business.
The Auditor-General recently stated that counties were ill-prepared to deal with disasters including floods, fire outbreaks, with the need to allocate more funds and train disaster management officers to deal with the issues emerging.
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Reporting by Kevin Cheruiyot, Angeline Ochieng, George Odiwuor and Vitalis Kimutai
