Rivers, streams, waterways continue to overflow across parts of Kenya in ongoing heavy rains, displacing thousands, claiming lives and destroying investments running into millions.
Latest update indicate over 38 deaths, with over 110,000 thousand displaced by this morning. Property including farm animals, road networks and homes worth millions have been destroyed.
Kenya meteorological department departments forecasts heavy rainfall in next coming 7 days.
In the midst of the tragedy, building experts blame poor planning for the devastation caused by the flooding.
Initial plans of the city had major roads parallel to the river system; construction on raised grounds; generous parks and open space system to enhance ground water flow management, percolation and drainage.
Prof Alfred Omenya post on X (formerly twitter)
Prof Alfred Amenya, a sustainable architecture,urbanism and institutional development expert who is also ECO Build Africa CEO says Nairobi is a swamp, but also has raised areas.
Posting a map of Nairobi, the expert said early city planners messed with its planning that has seen encroachment into riparian land.
A MAP OF NAIROBI COUNTY.
The post on X invited reactions with many Kenyans blaming poor planning, for the loss of lives and investments, to the floods.
If you observe Switzerland,majority of its cities and also Italy have such streams/rivers still intact, they never interfered with the waterways even as they expanded. We have used all riparian land instead of conserving them to parks.
David O. Ndayara on X
With every inch being someone’s property and restructuring being a hot politicised topic, an average person can predict with 101% certainty that things will get worst going forward. When it rains up to 111mm in a square kilometre, where will 100 million litres go?
Bernard Koech on X
Kenya red cross is warning that the flood situation is now at a disaster level.
Other parts of Kenya like Kirinyaga county, about 110km from the city of Nairobi, is also experiencing the aftermath after 60 families were displaced. River Thiba burst its banks submerging homes.
The Kenya government through the ministry of Interior has embarked on a multi agency response intervention involving several government departments and humanitarian agencies.
In a statement the minister said the National police coordinating search and rescue operations.
Yesterday most Kenyans whose houses were flooded depended on well wishers and philanthropists to find safety. The government came under criticism from Kenyans on X for its delayed response.