Nairobi woke up to a commuter’s nightmare today as heavy overnight rains wreaked havoc on the city’s roads, leading to widespread flooding and significant traffic disruptions.
In a statement on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) announced a partial closure of some of the affected roads.
“Public Notice! Following the heavy rains experienced last night across the country, the following roads within Nairobi County have been heavily affected leading to partial closure,” KURA said.
Among the major roads affected by the torrential downpours are Aerodrome Road, Kapenguria Road, UN Avenue in Runda, and Kasarani-Mwiki Road at the Mwiki Bridge.
Motorists have been advised to exercise caution and seek alternative routes where possible.
KURA said the situation is particularly dire along Mombasa Road at Cabanas and Thika Road at Githurai/Kahawa Bridge, where flooding has reached critical levels, posing risks to drivers and commuters alike.
In response to the crisis, both traffic police and KURA’s technical teams have been deployed on the ground to manage the chaos, direct traffic, and ensure the safety of motorists.
“Following the heavy rains experienced last night across the country, the following roads within Nairobi County have been heavily affected leading to partial closure. Aerodrome road, Kapenguria road, UN Avenue – Runda, Kasarani Mwiki Road at Mwiki Bridge. Motorists are also warned of flooding along Mombasa Road at Cabanas, Thika road at Githurai/ Kahawa bridge. The traffic police and our technical team are on the ground to direct traffic and enhance the safety of Motorists. We shall keep you posted as the situation unfolds,” KURA stated.
Kasarani-Mwiki road
Earlier today, a video surfaced online showing a bus struggling to maintain balance amidst floodwaters on the highway, followed by a matatu which also succumbed to the deluge, as bystanders screamed in alarm.
Reports on casualties from the scene have yet to be disclosed.
LIVE SCENES from Mwiki, Kasarani. pic.twitter.com/LYwG1WSDj1
— Gabriel Oguda (@gabrieloguda) April 24, 2024
