Githurai Roundabout Turns Into A River As Heavy Rains Paralyse Nairobi Morning Traffic

Flooding hit Githurai Roundabout in Nairobi on Saturday morning after heavy rains fell overnight and into the early hours. The busy underpass and the roads around it were left under deep brown water.

Images shared online show matatus, trucks and cars crawling through the flood. Some pedestrians stood on higher ground or on piles of debris as water gathered beneath the bridge. The photos were taken at about 10:05 am, just hours after the downpour.

The scene comes as Kenya begins to feel the effects of El Niño. The weather pattern is linked to warmer temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. It had been forecast to bring above normal rainfall between October and December. Its arrival was slower than expected in many areas because of low pressure systems over the northern Indian Ocean.

Meteorologists now say El Niño is firmly in place and is likely to last into early 2027. They say there is a high chance of heavier rainfall across much of the country. This includes Nairobi and the surrounding highlands.

Flooding has already been reported elsewhere in recent days. Roads have been closed and families displaced in Garissa and along the Tana River. The events show a wider pattern building across the country.

In Nairobi the morning rains caused the kind of flooding seen often in low lying areas like Githurai. Drainage there struggles whenever heavy rain falls in a short time. Motorists faced long delays while residents and traders dealt with sudden waterlogging.

Authorities have urged the public to stay careful as the short rains season gains strength. The Githurai flooding is an early and visible sign that the wetter weather has started to arrive in the capital.

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