Weatherman Warns Kenyans to Brace for Floods as Heavy Rains Pound the Nation

As the rainy season intensifies across Kenya, the streets of Nairobi and other urban centers are transforming into rivers of inconvenience and destruction. The Kenya Meteorological Department, alongside the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Center (ICPAC), has issued a grim forecast, warning Kenyans to prepare for worsening flooding, submerged roads, and potential displacement.

Already, the effects are visible. Roads in areas like Uthiru and Embakasi are barely passable, with motorists stranded and public transport disrupted. On Monday, more than 130 passengers were stuck at Nairobi’s Central Railway Station after floodwaters rendered the railway line to Syokimau unusable. Buses were later arranged to ferry the passengers, but confusion and delays left many waiting into the night.

While motorists tally up losses and mechanics enjoy a spike in repairs, the human toll in informal settlements is mounting. In Mathare and other low-income areas built precariously close to rivers, residents are bracing for the worst.

“I know heavy rains can be deadly. But where do you expect me to go? This is where I have lived for 15 years. This is where my children call home. I’d rather die here,” said one Mathare resident, a 53-year-old mother who has lived in a modest concrete structure near the Nairobi River.

Last year, prolonged rains led to devastating floods along the riverbanks. Sewage-choked streams burst their boundaries, sweeping through homes, claiming lives, and leaving behind trails of destruction. Despite the annual risk, residents say there are no meaningful relocation plans, and they remain trapped by poverty and poor urban planning.

Weather experts from ICPAC are now projecting rainfall between 50 and 200 millimetres in several parts of Kenya, including northeastern, coastal, and western regions. Similar warnings extend to the Greater Horn of Africa, with potential flooding expected in parts of Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Sudan.

“The expected heavy rainfall over parts of northeastern Kenya and some regions in southern and northern Tanzania could trigger isolated flooding. Communities in low-lying areas should stay cautious,” ICPAC cautioned in its latest bulletin.

As the rains continue, the urgency to address Kenya’s chronic drainage issues, informal settlement planning, and disaster preparedness grows stronger. The lives and livelihoods of thousands remain at risk, and unless swift action is taken, history could tragically repeat itself.

In other news: Teachers in Hardship Areas Accuse KUPPET of Neglect, Demand 40% Hardship Allowance Increase

Weatherman Warns Kenyans to Brace for Floods as Heavy Rains Pound the Nation