Traffic in Nairobi's Central Business District (CBD) along Moi Avenue was paralysed on Wednesday after two trees fell opposite Imenti House blocking the road.
The giant trees, which fell in the wee hours, blocked the entire road making it impassable, forcing traffic marshals to divert traffic to other roads.
The trees stayed on the road for close to 10 hours without a response from the county government, inconveniencing motorists who use the road.
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At the time of going to press, the county had initiated efforts to clear the trees from the road, which fell due to a heavy downpour on Tuesday night.
Heavy rains
On Tuesday, the Kenya Meteorological Department asked Kenyans in different parts of the country to brace themselves for moderate to heavy rainfall.
According to the weatherman, the rains will continue in the Highlands West of the Rift Valley, the Lake Victoria Basin, and the Rift Valley.
The North Western region and the Highlands East of the Rift Valley including Nairobi county will also be affected by the anticipated rains.
"Anticipate moderate to heavy, possibly very heavy rainfall across multiple areas within the metropolis. Stay weather-aware and prepared," the weatherman said in a statement shared on Tuesday.
The weatherman said most areas will experience thunderstorms in the afternoon.
Roads closed
In a statement on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) announced a partial closure of some of the affected roads.
"Public Notice! Following the heavy rains experienced last night across the country, the following roads within Nairobi County have been heavily affected leading to partial closure," KURA said.
Among the major roads affected by the torrential downpours are Aerodrome Road, Kapenguria Road, UN Avenue in Runda, and Kasarani-Mwiki Road at the Mwiki Bridge.
Motorists have been advised to exercise caution and seek alternative routes where possible.
KURA said the situation is particularly dire along Mombasa Road at Cabanas and Thika Road at Githurai/Kahawa Bridge, where flooding has reached critical levels, posing risks to drivers and commuters alike.
