Floods force eight schools to close in Nairobi
St Elizabeth Primary School pupils in Lunga Lunga slum, Nairobi, prepare to go home on March 15, 2018 after the school was closed due to flooding. PHOTO | SAMMY KIMATU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Ngong River burst its banks following heavy rains and the raging waters flooded schools.
- Some homes were submerged, while shops, stalls and some houses were swept away.
Eight schools in Nairobi County were closed on Thursday and children forced to go home after floods disrupted classes for the better part of the day.
The schools were flooded by raging waters after Ngong River burst its banks following heavy rains.
FLOODED
They are Brightstar Academy, St Elizabeth, Little Kids, New Dawn, Community Initiative and Bridge International – primary schools.
The other two were Brightstar and Viwandani secondary schools.
Sr Kathy Kettle, the Chief Development Officer at Mukuru Promotion Centre (MPC), said that since 2013, rains have disrupted classes at St Elizabeth Primary School in Lunga Lunga slum.
The school is run by MPC under the Irish Sisters of Mercy.
Raging waters at Kaiyaba/Hazina Bridge in Nairobi's Mukuru-Kaiyaba slum, South B, after Ngong River burst its banks on March 15, 2018. PHOTO | SAMMY KIMATU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
DUMPING
Sr Kettle attributed the flooding to illegal dumping.
“Dumping of soil…has diverted the water course. Every time it rains, its water has to affect learning at the school,” said Sr Kettle.
She said the board met with stakeholders to address the issue but authorities have not taken action.
“We urge the Education Department to push the central government for implementation, otherwise we are really worried,” Sr Kettle said.
Houses submerged in water at Nairobi's Mukuru Kaiyaba slum in South B on March 15, 2018. PHOTO | SAMMY KIMATU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
HOMES
Meanwhile, many Mukuru slum residents within South B were also rendered homeless after their houses were swept away by raging waters.
Stalls and shops were also not spared as property of unknown value was carried away by water.
Residents remove water from their flooded houses at Nairobi's Mukuru Maasai slum in South B on March 15, 2018. PHOTO | SAMMY KIMATU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Vehicles using Enterprise/Hazina road had to seek alternative routes after the Hazina/Kaiyaba bridge became impassable.
The only people who seemed to benefit from the flooding were youth who collected and sold logs and iron sheets that had been washed away and deposited at the bridge.
