Dozens dead in Kenyan flooding (VIDEO)

At least 49 people have died in Kenya after heavy rains triggered flooding in several parts of the country, police said on Tuesday.

The fatalities were recorded after torrential rains that began on Friday. Officials also reported widespread damage to homes and infrastructure across the country.

A total of 2,624 families have been displaced by the floods, while government property has also been affected, including damage to 16 police stations, according to the statement.

The National Police Service stated officers were working with other emergency agencies to carry out search and rescue missions, move residents from vulnerable locations and maintain security as flooding affected multiple regions, particularly the capital Nairobi.

Kenya typically experiences two rainy seasons each year due to its equatorial climate. The main wet period, known as the “long rains,” usually lasts from March to May and brings the heaviest rainfall across much of the country, including the capital Nairobi. On February 24, the Kenyan Meteorological Department announced the onset of the March-April-May (MAM) long rains across the country.

Videos shared on X show floodwaters in Nairobi rising to leave cars partially submerged, as streets turned into fast-moving streams.

Kenya is not the only African country to have faced severe flooding caused by torrential rains. Earlier this year, heavy rainfall triggered floods in Mozambique, prompting the government to declare a national red alert. More than 650,000 people were affected, with tens of thousands of homes inundated and key infrastructure, including schools and health facilities, damaged, according to regional authorities.