HAPPENING NOW: Syokimau Goes Underwater as Thursday Night Downpour Leaves Roads Impassable

Syokimau woke up to flooded streets on Friday morning after relentless overnight rainfall pushed the area's drainage systems past their limit, turning roads into rivers and leaving residents with nowhere to go.

The rain began Thursday night and did not let up. By the time dawn broke, the damage was already done. Roads that thousands of residents use daily had disappeared under brown, fast-moving water.

People were seen lifting their clothing above their knees just to cross the street. Riders balanced carefully through the current while drivers abandoned any hope of moving and simply waited. 

The crisis stretched beyond Syokimau. Along Mombasa Road, the section running between Mlolongo and City Cabanas was completely submerged, severing a critical artery that connects Nairobi to its southeastern neighbourhoods and to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

Cargo trucks sat motionless. Commuter vehicles formed long, unmoving lines. For workers trying to reach the city during morning rush hour, there was no good option in any direction.

Syokimau lies on a natural drainage path for a wide section of eastern Nairobi. When rain falls heavily, water has to go somewhere. 

With construction eating into open land and drainage channels receiving little maintenance, that water ends up in streets and homes. The problem is not new. The response has been.

Residents were urged to stay away from flooded zones and seek higher ground where accessible.