Brace for more heavy rains, warns Kenya Met Department

Rescue operations at Mwana Mukia estate in Githurai 45

Rescue operations at Mwana Mukia estate in Githurai 45.

Photo credit: Dudley Muchiri | Nation Media Group

Kenya Meteorological Department director David Gikungu has warned Kenyans to brace for more heavy rains that could uproot trees and cause floods and mudslides.

Dr Gikungu also revealed the rainfall recorded at KMD stations in Nairobi and its environs.

"Dagoretti Corner received 24.5mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours, Eastleigh received 84.5mm, Kabete received 89.5mm due to its proximity, Jomo Kenyatta Airport (JKIA) received 17.5mm while Wilson Airport received 51.6mm," he said.

Dr Gikungu, however, said that while the interest in the data was driven by the impact of Tuesday night's rainfall that was witnessed in the morning, KMD stations in Kenya's capital and its environs recorded a higher amount of rainfall before.

"Kabete was leading in the region with 111mm yesterday, Dagoretti had recorded 60mm and on the day we had very heavy rainfall last week, the same Dagorreti had recorded over 100mm of rainfall and was leading in the whole country," he said.

He also pointed out that it is the water in the ground that has saturated the soil.

"Some stations will receive much less rainfall and that will be the tipping point for things like falling trees, floods and mudslides," he warned. 

The KMD is currently compiling data for the whole country after taking the 9am Wednesday morning readings, Dr Gikungu said.