Kenya, 31 October 2026 – The heavy rainfall being experienced across the country is already piling pressure on emergency preparedness, in the same week that ministers in charge of disaster risk management from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) convened in Mombasa to chart the way forward.
In Nairobi, flooding was reported, especially around Githurai Roundabout, after Saturday morning showers. On Friday, floods affected major roads in Parklands.
The Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) said on Saturday that search operations were ongoing at Baraka, Olkaria Village, in Kajiado South, after one person was reportedly swept away by floodwaters while crossing an overflowing river on Friday night. The society urged the public to take the necessary precautions.
“We urge the public to avoid crossing flooded rivers and roads,” KRCS warned in a post on X.
Also on Saturday, officials from the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) North Rift region held meetings with communities living in Tambach and Kolol in Elgeyo Marakwet, where landslides and mudslides continue to destroy property and claim lives and livelihoods.
The KeNHA officials were joined by officers from the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA), the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), the Kenya Forest Service (KFS), National Government Administration Officers (NGAO), KRCS and the Catholic Diocese of Eldoret.
The team held consultative meetings with the communities and explored mitigation measures, including tree planting, coffee farming and vetiver grass cultivation, to stabilise the soil, control erosion and reduce runoff. Between October and November 2025, mudslides killed at least 37 people in Elgeyo Marakwet, while 11 others were reported missing. This explains why the teams are acting proactively to address recurring landslides and mudslides in the region.
The ongoing rains have also caused heavy flooding in Tana River and Lamu counties, displacing hundreds of residents.