NAIROBI, Kenya Feb 27 – Every year, it is the same story in Nairobi.Dark clouds gather. Heavy rain falls for hours. Roads disappear under water. Homes are flooded. Families run for safety in the night. And once the water drains away, the city resets until the next storm.With fresh warnings of heavy rainfall expected untill early March 2026, the question many residents are asking is painfully familiar: Is Nairobi ready for extreme weather, or are we still pretending that floods are a surprise?The Kenya Meteorological Department has issued a clear warning.Rainfall in Nairobi and surrounding regions is expected to intensify, with some areas likely to receive more than 30mm of rain within 24 hours.“Heavy rainfall episodes could trigger localized flooding, particularly in urban areas with constrained drainage systems,” the department warned, urging residents to avoid crossing flooded roads and drainage channels.Meteorologists say the risk is not theoretical. Showers and thunderstorms are expected in the afternoons and evenings, bringing sudden and intense downpours, the kind that often overwhelm the city.For many residents, fear of flooding is grounded in recent tragedy.The 2024 floods were among the worst Kenya has experienced in years. Nearly 300 people died nationwide. Hundreds of thousands were displaced and entire neighbourhoods were destroyed.Nairobi was one of the hardest-hit counties.Homes were swept away overnight. Schools collapsed. Families were forced into temporary shelters, some of which later flooded again.In April 2025, flash floods struck again, killing at least seven people in the city and displacing hundreds more.– “Our drainage was never designed for this” –City officials now openly admit what engineers have long warned.Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has acknowledged that the city’s drainage system is outdated.“Our drainage infrastructure was not designed to handle heavy, prolonged rainfall,” Sakaja said, noting that most systems were built for light, seasonal rains not today’s intense storms.County environment officials also point to human behavior as part of the problem.“Blocked drainage systems are largely caused by waste disposal and illegal construction on top of drainage lines,” said county environment chief Geoffrey Mosiria.Civil engineers say the damage is worsened by poor workmanship and heavy construction trucks that weaken drainage and sewer systems.Nairobi County however says it has stepped up action.Funds have been allocated to improve drainage in flood-prone areas, including major roads and informal settlements. A 3,800-strong youth team has been deployed to clear garbage and unblock drains.“We are mobilising labour, machinery and resources to reduce flooding risks,” county officials said.At the national level, President William Ruto has announced fresh funding for drainage and road works in the capital.“We have committed Sh1 billion specifically for drainage improvements in Nairobi,” the President said earlier this month, adding that billions more would go toward roads, bridges and stormwater systems.Kenya has also launched new disaster management strategies and early warning initiatives meant to shift the country from crisis response to early action.“Warnings were given, action came late”Despite the efforts, critics say the biggest failure is still preparedness.In 2024, the meteorological department issued multiple heavy rainfall advisories weeks before the deadly floods. Yet emergency agencies were mobilised late.“Preparedness in Kenya remains reactive rather than proactive,” one assessment found, pointing to weak coordination and lack of clear legal frameworks for disaster readiness.Even demolitions on riparian land exposed deep inequalities.“Informal settlements were cleared, but buildings in wealthy areas were spared,” one environmental audit noted. In some locations, new developments have since appeared along the same riverbanks.Floods have left lasting scars.Thousands of children missed school after classrooms were destroyed. Small businesses collapsed. Families lost homes, income and sanitation facilities all at once.In informal settlements, flooding wipes out years of slow progress overnight.“These disasters deepen poverty,” one humanitarian worker said. “Recovery is slow, and for many families, it never fully happens.”With climate change expected to increase rainfall intensity in Nairobi by up to one-third, experts warn that the price of inaction will only rise.