At least 25 dead in Kenya after heavy rain brings flash floods and flight disruption to Nairobi

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — At least 25 people have died after flash flooding in the Kenyan capital caused flight disruption and left motorists stranded for hours.

George Seda, the police chief in Nairobi, said some of the victims were drowned and others were electrocuted. He warned that the death toll may rise as search and rescue operations continue.

Kenya Airways said flights were disrupted, with some diverted to the coastal city of Mombasa, and that disruptions would continue for hours.

The military was deployed to assist emergency rescue services, and the local toll road operator waived fees for an elevated road.

The heavy rain began on Friday and continued overnight, submerging vehicles and forcing motorists in some areas to wade through hip-high water to reach higher ground.

Seda also said that more than 100 vehicles were damaged, with some overturning on the roadside and in parking bays.

Videos of flooded homes and overturned vehicles were shared on social media. Rescue teams pulled out bodies from vehicles that had been washed away.

President William Ruto said a multiagency team had been deployed to support and relocate those in imminent danger to safer areas as rain continues in the country. He said the government would pay hospital bills for those affected and directed that relief food be distributed to affected families.

A military rescue unit was deployed overnight to support emergency services as Kenya Red Cross response units struggled to reach people in need.

Kenya Red Cross Secretary-General Ahmed Idris said search and rescue teams were working tirelessly to assist those stranded.

“We are severely limited by the traffic and the situation on what used to be roads. We are doing our best to reach those in need,” he wrote on X.

Public Service Minister Geoffrey Ruku said he was coordinating national disaster preparedness, response, and recovery efforts. He urged Kenyans to be cautious and prioritize their safety.

Some residents blamed the flooding on clogged drainage systems, stating that city authorities ought to have prepared by ensuring there was functional drainage infrastructure ahead of the rainy season.

One resident, Aisha Bajaber, wrote on X: “The whole city is flooded yet again. How long will officials keep ignoring the lack of drainage?”

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said the government would ensure all blocked drainage systems are cleared.

“Nairobi remains a major regional hub and must be kept clean, safe and well-managed to reflect its standing in Africa,” he said.

Kenya has faced heavy rains since late February, which marks the start of the long-rains season.

Previous rain seasons have seen flooding, landslides and mudslides that have left hundreds of people dead and seen thousands of others displaced.

Volunteers retrieve the body of a man from a car after heavy rains in Nairobi, Kenya, Saturday, March 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Kasuku)

Volunteers carry the body of a man recovered after heavy rains in Nairobi, Kenya, Saturday, March 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Kasuku)

People walk through floodwaters after heavy rains in Nairobi, Kenya, on Saturday, March 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Kasuku)

Cars are seen submerged after heavy rains flooded roads in Nairobi, Kenya, on Friday, March 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Kasuku)

People climb on top of their cars after heavy rains flooded roads in Nairobi, Kenya, on Friday, March 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Kasuku)

Two goals from Igor Matanovic were not enough to stop Europa League finalist Freiburg losing 3-2 at Hamburger SV in the Bundesliga on Sunday.

Bakery Jatta opened the scoring for Hamburg when he was left unmarked but Matanovic soon leveled for Freiburg. Goals from Luka Vušković and Fabio Baldé put Hamburg back in control in the second half and Matanović's 87th-minute header proved only a consolation goal for Freiburg.

The loss is a blow to seventh-place Freiburg's hopes of qualifying for the Conference League via the Bundesliga. Freiburg could yet end up in the Champions League with a win over Aston Villa in the final of the Europa League on May 20. Hamburg moves up a place to 11th.

Later Sunday, last-place Heidenheim takes on Cologne needing at least a point to keep its hopes of avoiding relegation.

Heidenheim coach Frank Schmidt has been in charge for 19 years, overseeing promotion from the regional fourth tier and even a European campaign in the Conference League last season. He has yet to experience relegation.

The bottom two teams are relegated automatically and the team in 16th faces a two-leg promotion-relegation playoff against a team from the second division.

Also Sunday, pioneering coach Marie-Louise Eta and her Union Berlin team take on Mainz. Union remains winless as Eta heads into her fourth game in charge as the first female head coach in Europe's top five major men's leagues. Union, which is safe from relegation, is aiming to build on a draw last week against Cologne.

Eta's five-game interim head coach stint is due to end next week when Union hosts Augsburg in its last game of the season. She has already agreed to take charge of the Union women's team for next season.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Hamburger's Luka Vuskovic, centre, celebrates with Nicolai Remberg, second from left, and Nicolas Capaldo after scoring his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Hamburger SV and Sport-Club Freiburg in Hamburg, Germany, Sunday, May 10, 2026. (Marcus Brandt/dpa via AP)