Vehicles move on a flooded road after a heavy rain in Kibera of Nairobi, Kenya, on March 7, 2026. The death toll from heavy overnight rainfall that triggered severe flooding across several parts of the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, has risen to 23 as rescue teams continue searching for survivors, police confirmed on Saturday. (Photo by Henry Naminde/Xinhua)
NAIROBI, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from heavy overnight rainfall that triggered severe flooding across several parts of the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, has risen to 23 as rescue teams continue searching for survivors, police confirmed on Saturday.
Police said the torrential rains caused widespread flooding, destruction of property, road closures, and the displacement of residents in multiple neighborhoods across the city.
"We are monitoring the situation closely and are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all Kenyans, residents, and visitors," National Police Service spokesperson Michael Muchiri Nyaga said in a statement issued in Nairobi.
He said the most affected areas include sprawling slums in the eastern part of the capital, as well as parts of Westlands.
According to police, major transport corridors have also been impacted, with sections of highways and busy roads experiencing flooding that disrupted traffic and mobility.
Nyaga said emergency response teams moved quickly overnight to conduct search-and-rescue missions in affected areas and that 29 people have so far been rescued from different locations and are currently receiving assistance.
The police spokesperson said officers are working closely with other emergency responders and remain fully deployed across affected areas, responding to distress calls and continuing rescue operations as rainfall persists.
Residents have been urged to remain vigilant, avoid flooded roads, and exercise extreme caution while traveling as search-and-rescue operations continue on Saturday.
Nyaga said the service, working alongside other government agencies, remains committed to safeguarding lives and property during the ongoing flooding crisis.
Major roads and highways, as well as several neighborhoods, were flooded, leaving motorists stranded amid widespread disruption on Saturday morning after the heavy downpour left several parts of the city submerged and major roads impassable. ■
Boys drain the rain water out of a house after a heavy rain in Kibera of Nairobi, Kenya, on March 7, 2026. The death toll from heavy overnight rainfall that triggered severe flooding across several parts of the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, has risen to 23 as rescue teams continue searching for survivors, police confirmed on Saturday. (Photo by Henry Naminde/Xinhua)
People travel by motorcycle on a flooded road after a heavy rain in Kibera of Nairobi, Kenya, on March 7, 2026. The death toll from heavy overnight rainfall that triggered severe flooding across several parts of the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, has risen to 23 as rescue teams continue searching for survivors, police confirmed on Saturday. (Photo by Henry Naminde/Xinhua)
A boy looks at a swollen river after a heavy rain in Kibera of Nairobi, Kenya, on March 7, 2026. The death toll from heavy overnight rainfall that triggered severe flooding across several parts of the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, has risen to 23 as rescue teams continue searching for survivors, police confirmed on Saturday. (Photo by Henry Naminde/Xinhua)
People travel by motorcycle on a flooded road after a heavy rain in Kibera of Nairobi, Kenya, on March 7, 2026. The death toll from heavy overnight rainfall that triggered severe flooding across several parts of the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, has risen to 23 as rescue teams continue searching for survivors, police confirmed on Saturday. (Photo by Henry Naminde/Xinhua)