Kenyans caught ‘unawares’ by heavy rains

Kenyans were caught unawares by a heavy downpour on Tuesday evening.

The rains that pounded most parts of the country caused flash floods. In the capital city Nairobi, major roads particularly in Westlands were covered by water due to poor drainage forcing motorists to spend hours in heavy traffic.

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The Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD) has warned of enhanced rainfall as the March, April to May (MAM) long rains season starts.

Flooding is expected in Budalang’i, Nyando and Baringo as well as in the South-Eastern lowlands, Tana- River and Garissa counties.

While releasing the long rains seasonal forecast Tuesday, the Director of Kenya Meteorological Department Stella Aura, urged caution in Kakamega and Kisii areas where lightning is prevalent.

“There will be enhanced rainfall over the Highlands West of the Rift Valley, the Lake Victoria Basin, Central and South Rift Valley, the North-west, the Highlands East of the Rift Valley, including Nairobi County, and the South Eastern lowlands,” she said adding that, “near-average rainfall is expected over the North-eastern and the Coastal regions.”

In Narok, two people drowned in separate incidents while property worth thousands of shillings was destroyed by flash floods following a heavy downpour that was experienced in the area on Tuesday night.

The deceased was identified as a 70-year-old woman who was swept by floods at Fanaka area while she was trying to cross a flooded water path while the second is a 35-year-old man who drowned while crossing a flooded river in Nkareta area.

Narok County Police Commander John Kizito said the body of the elderly Nekipasi Njapit was found stuck in a trench and was taken to Narok County Referral Hospital mortuary awaiting postmortem.

The second incident was reported by Pastor Daniel Keiwa who said the 35-year-old man drowned in river Enoonkoit Kayetoni while on his way home.

“The body of the young man is yet to be retrieved from the flooded river. We have however recovered his clothes at the banks of the river and at some point saw something that resembled a human hand near the point where his clothes were found,” he said.

At the same time, the business community in Narok town is lamenting high losses caused by the flash floods.