Kenya floods death toll rises to 45 as heavy rains continue to batter Nairobi
Police confirm 2,224 displaced as military and emergency teams conduct search and rescue operations across affected regions
NAIROBI, Kenya — March 9, 2026 — The death toll from heavy rains and flash flooding that have battered Kenya’s capital and other regions since Friday has risen to at least 45, police confirmed on Monday, as rescue teams continue searching for survivors and hundreds remain displaced .
Police spokesman Michael Muchiri told AFP on Monday that the toll had risen to 45 people drowned, with 2,224 displaced, as search and rescue operations continued amid widespread devastation across the country . The updated figure follows a government statement issued late Sunday confirming 42 deaths, with officials warning that more bodies could still be recovered as operations continue .
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Public Service and Human Capital Development Minister Geoffrey Kiringa Ruku announced in a statement on Sunday that 42 deaths had been recorded and confirmed by the National Police Service across the country as of March 8. Of these, 26 fatalities occurred in the capital, Nairobi, where torrential overnight rains triggered widespread flooding that submerged vehicles, destroyed property and displaced hundreds of residents .
Rescue operations and military deployment
Emergency workers from various agencies including the military are still conducting search and rescue operations across the country, Ruku said in the statement .
“Search mission is still in progress by the multi-agency emergency response teams with the aim of ensuring that bodies of all the flood victims are found and retrieved,” Ruku said .
President William Ruto on Saturday ordered the immediate deployment of a multi-agency emergency response team to support rescue and relief operations following the devastating floods . The team, led by the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, is working alongside the military and other emergency agencies to intensify rescue efforts, coordinate evacuations, assist affected communities and relocate residents living in high-risk areas to safer locations .
The president also directed the immediate release of relief food from the country’s national strategic reserves for distribution to families affected by the floods .
Authorities said at least 30 people have been rescued from various locations and are receiving assistance . Officials also confirmed that 172 vehicles that had been swept away by floodwaters have been recovered .
Impact on infrastructure and daily life
The intense rains that began late Friday unleashed heavy and widespread flooding, causing some people to drown, washing away vehicles and disrupting traffic at the country’s largest airport . Several flights bound for Nairobi Airport had to be cancelled or diverted to the coastal city of Mombasa .
Key roads in the capital city, including Mombasa Road, Uhuru Highway, Kirinyaga Road, and parts of the Westlands district, have been submerged underwater, with stalled vehicles and fast-moving floodwaters creating havoc . Nairobi police chief said late last week that in addition to drownings, some deaths were caused by electrocution .
AFP reporters saw heavily damaged roads and infrastructure from Nairobi’s vast slums to upmarket areas . “The river banks broke as the rains continued and cars were swept off and water flowed into our shops destroying property for many people,” Frederick Wasonga, who sells car accessories in the city centre, told AFP .
The most affected areas include sprawling slums in the eastern part of the capital, as well as parts of Westlands . Major transport corridors have also been impacted, with sections of highways and busy roads experiencing flooding that disrupted traffic and mobility .
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Kenyan Red Cross spokesman Munir Ahmed said the devastation extends beyond Nairobi. “We are seeing devastation… A huge number of areas in the city were affected, but also counties all over the country,” he told AFP .
Health warnings and ongoing risks
The Kenya Meteorological Department has warned that intense rainfall is expected to continue in most parts of the country, increasing the risk of flooding, swollen rivers and transport disruptions . Nairobi, along with regions such as the Central Highlands, Lake Victoria Basin and coastal areas, remains under heightened alert for peak rainfall in the coming days . River levels are expected to rise through March 9, the department added .
The Ministry of Health on Saturday issued an alert about the potential health risks posed by the ongoing heavy rains across the country . Mary Muthoni, principal secretary for public health and professional standards, said the torrential rains and flooding could lead to contamination of water sources, increased breeding of disease vectors such as mosquitoes, and disruptions to sanitation systems, which could contribute to outbreaks of communicable diseases and other health hazards .
Kenyan authorities advised residents to avoid flooded streets and drainage channels while emergency responders assist stranded motorists and pedestrians .
Eyewitness accounts and public anger
Security guard John Lomayan, 34, described seeing someone he recognised in the industrial neighbourhood of Grogan who was trapped beneath a car that had been washed away when the Nairobi River burst its banks.
“I saw him being carried by the water from up there,” he told Reuters news agency, gesturing up the road. “We didn’t know where he had gone. It is only now that we see him under the car” .
Derrick Juma, a panel beater in the same area, said two of his neighbours had died. “One person was electrocuted… Another one was heavily rained on and as he took cover outside a restaurant, he died out in the cold,” Juma told AFP .
There was widespread anger at Nairobi governor Johnson Sakaja, who had vowed to deal with drainage and road infrastructure when he took office in 2022 . “Sakaja should be in jail not in office,” said well-known activist Nelson Amenya on X. “There’s no storm water drainage system… I haven’t seen any active flood management or even preparation for it by the county of Nairobi,” he said .
President Ruto acknowledged the recurring nature of the crisis. “We recognise that these floods once again highlight the urgent need for lasting solutions to the perennial challenge of flooding in our urban areas,” he said on X .
Climate context and regional impact
Scientists say global warming is worsening floods and droughts across East Africa by concentrating rainfall into shorter, more intense bursts . A 2024 World Weather Attribution study found climate change had made devastating rains in the region twice as likely as before .
Multiple studies have tracked the increasing frequency of extreme wet and dry periods in east Africa in the last 20 years, including one on rainfall variability published by Scientific Reports in 2024 . Scientists have long warned that human-driven climate change is increasing the likelihood, length and severity of extreme weather events such as torrential downpours .
Kenya has faced heavy rains since late February, which marks the start of the long-rains season . Last year, hundreds of Kenyans were killed after heavy rains caused severe flooding and landslides across the country and neighbouring Tanzania .
Neighbouring countries including Somalia and Ethiopia are also affected by extreme weather conditions . An emergency-level drought in northeastern Mandera county last month killed large numbers of livestock .
The Kenyan Red Cross said hundreds of households in neighbouring counties had also been affected, and vast swathes of farmland destroyed .
Ongoing search efforts
Officials confirmed that search operations are continuing across multiple counties affected by the floods. Preliminary assessments show that the floods have affected Kiambu, Kajiado, Makueni, Nakuru, Murang’a, Bungoma, Kwale, Kirinyaga, Migori and Tharaka Nithi counties .
The National Police Service said emergency response teams moved quickly overnight to conduct search-and-rescue missions in affected areas . Police said they remain fully deployed, actively responding to distress calls and continuing search and rescue missions as more rain continues to fall .
The floods have done extensive damage to infrastructure and livelihoods across the country .
The death toll from Kenya’s devastating floods has risen to at least 45, with the capital Nairobi bearing the brunt of the destruction as heavy rains continue to batter the region. President Ruto has deployed the military and multi-agency emergency teams to support rescue operations, while authorities warn of continued rainfall and associated health risks in the coming days.
With 2,224 displaced, 172 vehicles recovered, and search operations still ongoing, the full scale of the disaster continues to unfold. Scientists point to climate change as a key factor intensifying such extreme weather events across East Africa, raising concerns about the region’s preparedness for increasingly severe and frequent flooding.
For the thousands displaced and the families of those killed, the immediate future holds only uncertainty as emergency responders work to recover bodies and provide relief to affected communities.
Sources / Inputs
Reuters via US News: Kenya Says Death Toll From Floods Nearly Doubles to 42
AFP via France 24: Kenya flash floods death toll rises to 45
BBC News: Nairobi floods: At least 23 dead after heavy rains with Kenyan military deployed
CBC/Reuters: At least 42 people killed in Kenya floods
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