Body found in flooded Nairobi building basement as rain death toll rises

Police said grim discovery was made as workers pumped out water in the basement./FILE

The body of a man was retrieved from the flooded basement of a building in the Grogan area of Nairobi on Tuesday, days after heavy rains battered the city.

Police said the grim discovery was made in the basement of the Habatullah Building as workers pumped out water that had flooded the floor following last Friday’s downpour.

During the exercise, workers spotted the body submerged in the water. Authorities said the man’s skin had already begun to peel off, indicating the body had been in the water for some time.

The body was later moved to the mortuary as police launched investigations to establish the identity of the deceased and the circumstances surrounding his death.

Officials say the recent floods have already claimed at least 30 lives in Nairobi alone, while more than 100 vehicles were damaged in the chaos caused by the heavy rains. Most of the victims are yet to be identified, with several bodies still lying in morgues across the city.

In a separate incident, the body of a man was found in the Nairobi River near Eastleigh Section 3 on Tuesday in what authorities suspect was a drowning case. The body was taken to the City Mortuary pending identification and a postmortem examination.

Police have appealed to members of the public to come forward with any information that could help identify the deceased and explain how he ended up in the river.

Elsewhere, detectives are investigating the death of a 34-year-old man found lifeless in his home in Buruburu Estate, Nairobi, Kenya.

The deceased, identified as Julius Mutuku Mutua, was discovered by family members at around 12:30 pm after his daughter raised the alarm. Police officers who responded to the scene found the body lying on the floor with no visible injuries.

The body was moved to Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital mortuary as investigators await the results of a postmortem to determine the cause of death.

In yet another case, the body of a man believed to be in his 50s was found along Waiyaki Way near Kinoo on Tuesday afternoon.

The body, which had no visible injuries, was discovered by a boda boda rider who alerted authorities. It was taken to the mortuary as police began investigations into the circumstances of the man’s death.