Interior ministry: 50 dead, 9 missing across 17 counties hit by floods

A man pulling a cart along a road in one of the flooded areas in Nairobi after the Friday, March 6, 2026, rains.

The death toll from last Friday’s devastating floods has risen to 50, with nine people still missing and thousands of families displaced across 17 counties. This is according to an update by the Ministry of Interior and National Administration.

In a statement, the ministry said the number of casualties and affected areas has increased as rescue teams continue search operations and assessments in regions that experienced heavy rainfall and flash floods late last week.

According to the update released on March 12, a total of 17 counties have been affected by the floods, with authorities reporting widespread destruction of homes, infrastructure and farms.

The counties impacted include Nairobi, Kisumu County, Narok, among others, mainly in western and southern Kenya.

The ministry further revealed that 12,338 homes have been displaced, leaving many families without shelter after floodwaters swept through residential areas and low-lying settlements.

Authorities said the floods have also disrupted essential services in several regions. Roads and bridges in some areas remain impassable, making it difficult for rescue teams to access affected communities and deliver humanitarian assistance.

Power outages have also been reported after electricity infrastructure was damaged by the rising waters, while water supply lines have been destroyed in some locations, further compounding the challenges faced by residents.

Schools in a number of counties have also been affected after floodwaters entered learning institutions or cut off access roads, disrupting normal operations.

Apart from residential damage, the floods have also destroyed farms and submerged market areas and businesses, threatening the livelihoods of many households that depend on agriculture and small-scale trade.

The Interior Ministry said multi-agency response teams remain deployed across the affected counties to coordinate rescue operations, provide relief support and monitor the situation on the ground.

Security officers, disaster response teams and humanitarian agencies are working together to evacuate residents from high-risk areas, assist displaced families and restore essential services where possible.

Meanwhile, the Kenya Meteorological Department has warned that more rainfall is expected during the early part of the rainy season.

The weather agency cautioned that the country could continue experiencing heavy rainfall, flash floods and storms in several regions, even though rainfall intensity may vary throughout the month.

Authorities have therefore urged residents, particularly those living in flood-prone and low-lying areas, to remain vigilant and follow safety advisories issued by government agencies.

The government said it will continue monitoring the situation while scaling up response efforts aimed at preventing further loss of life and supporting communities affected by the disaster.