Officials in Kenya announced Sunday that fatalities from devastating floods have climbed to 42 people, representing an alarming increase from the earlier reported count of 23 deaths.
Friday’s torrential downpours triggered catastrophic flooding throughout Nairobi, the nation’s capital, and surrounding regions. The deluge claimed lives through drowning, swept numerous vehicles away, and severely hampered operations at Kenya’s primary airport.
Geoffrey Kiringa Ruku, who serves as minister for public service and human capital development, confirmed that emergency response teams including military personnel continue their urgent search and rescue missions nationwide.
“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 stated in an official announcement.
The flooding has caused widespread destruction to critical infrastructure and disrupted countless livelihoods across affected areas. However, rescue teams have successfully recovered 172 vehicles that were carried away by the rushing floodwaters.
President William Ruto responded to the crisis Saturday by directing the immediate distribution of emergency food supplies from national reserves to families impacted by the disaster.
Climate researchers indicate that rising global temperatures are intensifying both flooding and drought conditions throughout East Africa by creating more concentrated and severe rainfall patterns. Research conducted in 2024 by the World Weather Attribution group determined that climate change has doubled the likelihood of such destructive storms occurring in the region.
