This archive report was first published on 1 December 2019.
Heavy rainfall on Sunday, December 1, 2019, brought Nairobi, Kenya, to a standstill as the city struggled to cope with the aftermath of the relentless downpour.
According to Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko, his team had managed to restore operations at the Aga Khan Hospital in Parklands, which had been severely affected by the floods.
"Following heavy rains in Nairobi that led to flooding in some parts of the city, our disaster response team managed to respond to emergency cases especially at Aga Khan Hospital in Parklands where normalcy has been restored. I thank the hospital’s management for good coordination," he stated.
However, the situation at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport was chaotic, with hundreds of people left drenched in the rain as they were either getting dropped off or picked up at the new wing.
Vocal activist Boniface Mwangi and Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua called for the prosecution of the contractors who carried out the new wing project at the international airport, citing substandard work.
"Whoever designed and those who built Jomo Kenyatta International Airport “new wing” deserve to be prosecuted and jailed," Mwangi posted on Twitter.
The heavy rainfall also caused disruptions to Kenya Railways services, with commuter trains suspended to Imara, Syokimau, Rongai, and Ngong after the line between Nairobi CBD and Syokimau was submerged.
According to the latest weather alert, the southern half of the country would continue to experience heavy rainfall until December 2, 2019.
