Nairobi city residents and traders were Saturday morning counting losses following Friday’s heavy downpour that left a trail of destruction.
The three-hour long afternoon rains turned the city into a battlefield of nature even as it exposed the poor state of the drainage system.
The rain's relentless assault extended beyond the roads, penetrating homes and businesses.
Residents, accustomed to the occasional shower, were ill-prepared for the ferocity of the torrential rains.
Chaos ensued with vehicles being swept away as others got submerged.
The once-mighty city buses, symbols of urban efficiency, found themselves stranded amidst swirling rapids as their engines were silenced by the fierce onslaught.
The extent of the damages was yet to be ascertained as the Kenya Meteorology Department warned that parts of the country will continue to experience heavy rains for the next seven days.
Nairobi County’s Disaster Management and Coordination team announced Saturday it is carrying out a joint assessment exercise with the Red Cross to establish the extent of the impact of rains.
"The waters have subsided in the majority of the areas impacted last night due to the heavy rainfall experienced,” a statement read.
A child is said to have been swept away at Mashimoni area in Kibera.
As the scars of the flooding lingered, residents were seen dusting their homes as those in the markets reorganized their wares.
The county also received a barrage of criticisms from various quarters over its poor planning.
“There is rain (not sure if it's real El Nino) and there is failed Nairobi CBD drainage which easily makes any heavy downpour appear like El Nino,” an X wrote.
