Nairobi residents fear El Niño flooding as rainy season begins
Warnings of a strong El Niño weather phenomenon have raised concerns about potential deaths and destruction in Kenya's informal settlements.
Residents in Nairobi's Kibera settlement are expressing fear that the upcoming short rainy season could cause fatal flooding. According to a BBC News report, the El Niño weather phenomenon may bring intense rains to southern Kenya, threatening homes built near the Ngong river.
Agnes Shikoli, a 62-year-old resident, said she fears the rains could drown people or cause houses to collapse. She noted that her home is not made of stone and recalled that her sister, Beatrice Khalayi, was among more than 60 people killed across the country during earlier floods this year.
Nairobi County disaster management chief Bramwell Simiyu told the BBC that drainage systems have not been touched for many years. He stated that the existing infrastructure was designed 30 years ago for 2.5 million people, but the city now handles up to 7 million people during the day.
Simiyu said an investment of up to $192m is required to upgrade the sewerage and drainage systems. He warned that in a worst-case scenario, approximately 100,000 people in low-income settlements could be at risk, while moderate projections suggest 20,000 people may be affected.
Under the Climate Worx programme, workers have been clearing garbage from riverbeds to rehabilitate Nairobi's rivers. The government has also identified 167 holding grounds to relocate anyone forced to leave their homes, where relief food and supplies will be provided.
The Kenya meteorological department noted that November typically sees the highest rainfall during the short rainy season, which runs from October to December. A regional forecast from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad) indicated an 81 per cent probability of a very strong El Niño between October and December 2026.