South 'Sea': High-end estate flooded after overnight rains in Nairobi

Residents of South C estate in Nairobi woke up to a drenched estate following a heavy downpour witnessed in Nairobi last night.

Some of the residents who spoke to Wananchi Reporting blamed poor drainage and non-existent waterways for the perennial flooding menace in the estate.

The rains left a number of roads in the estate flooded – with waters pouring into houses.

“I have been living in South C for the last three years, but now I am strongly considering moving to a different estate because of the flooding,” said Weldon Kibet, a resident of the estate.

On Sunday, motorists could be seen driving and wading through the waters that filled the estate.

There is a silent fear among residents over a possibility of a breakout of waterborne diseases in the area – if nothing is done to mitigate the perennial problem.

Landlords in the area who have invested millions in property now fear losing a great deal of income as some tenants are now considering moving to other estates.

South C area is home to a number of government offices and parastatals, top hotels and other private organisations.

These include: The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), The Kenya National Examinations Council, The Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI), a government institute under Ministry of Trade, Investments and Industry, Kenya Red Cross Society Headquarters, Kenya Literature Bureau (KLB), The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA).

The estate, which borders South B just on the other side of Mombasa Road, is home to Nairobi’s middle and upper middle class, with rent said to cost upwards of to Ksh. 40,000 for a three-bedroom house.