Submerged cars and missed flights: Hectic morning in Mombasa after heavy rains

Cars submerged in Mombasa after heavy rains

What you need to know:

  • All Mombasa and Nairobi-bound vehicles were forced to use one lane (inbound) due to the floods.
  • The Mombasa County government has asked road users to be cautious while on the road.

Commuters rushing to catch morning train and flights in Mombasa mainland were on Friday forced to use motorbikes after a section of Mombasa-Changamwe road was cut off due to a heavy downpour.

Several vehicles were submerged in the newly built Makupa Bridge in the outbound lane due to floods after nightlong heavy rainfall. 

All Mombasa and Nairobi-bound vehicles were forced to use one lane (inbound) due to the floods.

Tourists and commuters heading to Moi International Airport to catch flights alighted from their vans and boarded bodabodas.

Mombasa flooding

Motorists and commuters stranded along the Mombasa-Changamwe road after a heavy downpour.

Photo credit: Winnie Atieno | Nation Media Group

Those headed to the Standard Gauge Railway station in Miritini also followed suit, braving the heavy rains.

However, some commuters chose to stay in their vehicles until traffic police arrived.

"This road was poorly built. We have cried time and again over flooding and poor drainage. The rains have exposed the contractor who should be penalised for poor workmanship," said Dominic Ochola an engineer who was using along the road. 

The Mombasa County government has asked road users to be cautious while on the road.