The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
Related Articles
A man and a woman were dramatically saved on Tuesday evening after their car was carried off by fast-flowing floodwaters in Ruai, Nairobi, following heavy rains that battered the city and surrounding areas.
Footage widely shared on social media shows several men braving the rushing water to reach a saloon car trapped in the strong current. The vehicle can be seen drifting downstream as shocked bystanders scream and urge the rescuers to act quickly.
Click here to join our WhatsApp Channel
As the car is pushed along by the powerful waters, the rescuers struggle to pull the two occupants out through a window. Within moments, the vehicle is nearly submerged.
Throughout the ordeal, worried residents watch from nearby, some recording the incident while others shout directions and prayers. Eventually, the rescuers succeed in pulling the man and woman to safety and escorting them to dry ground.
Cheers break out from the crowd as the pair are rescued.
“They are out, thank God,” one relieved onlooker is heard saying.
Although their exact condition was not immediately known, the two appeared shaken as they were assisted away from the scene.
The Ruai rescue comes amid continued heavy rainfall across several parts of the country. In its latest weather outlook for February 17 to 23, 2026, the Kenya Meteorological Department warned of ongoing afternoon showers and occasional thunderstorms, particularly over the Highlands and the Lake Victoria Basin.
The forecast indicates that rainfall is expected to continue in areas east and west of the Rift Valley, the Lake Victoria Basin, the Rift Valley region, as well as parts of the south-eastern lowlands and coastal areas. Western, central, and coastal counties are likely to receive the heaviest rains, with Nairobi also experiencing sustained downpours.
The dramatic incident occurred just hours after President William Ruto unveiled a new multi-billion-shilling initiative aimed at addressing Nairobi’s persistent flooding problem. Speaking at State House on Tuesday, he directed relevant ministries to fast-track drainage improvements before the next rainy season.
The President announced that Sh1 billion would be set aside specifically for upgrading drainage systems in the capital.
He urged the Ministry of Infrastructure and Roads and the Ministry of Housing to act swiftly, emphasizing that Nairobi should not continue to experience severe flooding whenever it rains. He added that any flooding this year should be minimal, with a lasting solution expected by next year.
Additionally, the government plans to invest Sh9 billion in constructing two parallel 27-kilometre trunk sewer lines along the Nairobi River corridor as part of broader flood mitigation efforts.
