At least 42 people have died in severe flooding across Kenya since Friday, after heavy rains triggered flash floods in several regions, Police said on Sunday, March 8.
Authorities reported that 26 of the deaths occurred in Nairobi, where floodwaters swept through low-lying neighbourhoods and informal settlements, submerging homes, carrying away vehicles and causing rivers to overflow their banks.
Emergency teams have continued search and rescue operations in the capital and surrounding areas as torrential rains disrupted transport and daily activities in multiple counties over the weekend.
Geoffrey Ruku confirmed the death toll while addressing reporters on Sunday, adding that emergency response teams had been deployed to assist affected communities.
The minister also announced that the government would cover hospital expenses for those injured and pay burial costs for families who lost relatives in the disaster, in an effort to ease the burden on affected households.
Floodwaters have caused widespread damage to homes, businesses and infrastructure in parts of Nairobi and other regions, while rescue teams continue to evacuate residents from inundated areas.