Kenya prepares for floods due to strong El Niño — BBC News
In Kenya, including in the capital Nairobi, authorities and residents of informal settlements are preparing for possible large-scale flooding during the short rains season. Forecasters warn that this year's El Niño phenomenon could become one of the strongest on record and bring heavier-than-usual rainfall to the southern parts of the country, BBC News reports.
In Kibera, one of Kenya's largest informal settlements, workers are clearing rubbish from the Ngong River channel. Work under the Climate Worx programme, coordinated by the office of President William Ruto, intensified after August warnings about the possible effects of El Niño. Similar drainage-system cleaning is continuing in different parts of Nairobi.
Outdated drainage system
Brumwell Simiyu, head of Nairobi County's emergency management service, said the city's drainage systems had not been maintained for many years. According to him, the existing infrastructure was created about 30 years ago for a city with a population of around 2.5 million people. Today, Nairobi has about 7 million people during the day and 5.5 million at night.
Simiyu estimated that a full upgrade of the sewerage and drainage system would cost up to $192 million. He said that under the worst-case scenario, up to 100,000 people in low-income areas could be at risk. Under a moderate forecast, approximately 5,000 households, or 20,000 people, could be in danger.
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Risks for settlements near rivers
During the long rains season earlier this year, floods in Kenya killed more than 60 people. Blocked drains and an inadequate sewerage system were considered among the main reasons for the high death toll. Informal settlements near rivers, including Kibera and Mathare, are most affected by flooding, where homes often stand a few metres from the water or on river slopes.
The Kenya Meteorological Department notes that peak rainfall during the short rains season, which usually lasts from October to December, occurs in November. In September, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development estimated the probability of a very strong El Niño in October–December 2026 at 81%. The International Organization for Migration warned that nearly 900,000 people in Kenya could be forced to leave their homes this year because of the forecast floods.
According to Simiyu, people who have to leave their homes are planned to be accommodated at 167 designated sites, where food supplies and humanitarian aid will be distributed.
