Not activated: The DERF has carefully considered the submitted crisis alert and decided not to activate the DERF for funding interventions responding to the crises. Further information of the decision is to be found in the attached decision note.
Reason: With the very limited humanitarian sources of information available at the moment, it is assessed that there is no significant funding gap in the ongoing response to the flooding in Kenya. Compared to the relatively small number of people affected, large organisations, including the very capable Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS), the Government of Kenya, county governments, the national disaster management authorities including the National Disaster Operations Centre (NDOC), Kenya National Police Force (NPS) as well as Kenya Defence Forces are all responding to the floods. The floods have not yet triggered the large-scale international humanitarian mobilisation.
Since early March 2026, Nairobi has experienced severe flash flooding following intense and prolonged rainfall. Within a 24-hour period, the city recorded approximately 112mm of rainfall, exceeding the average rainfall for the entire month of March and overwhelming already strained urban drainage systems. Floodwaters rapidly inundated roads, homes, and businesses across the city, turning major transport corridors including Uhuru Highway, Mombasa Road, and the Thika Superhighway into impassable waterways. Vehicles were swept away or stranded, while public transport and access to essential services were significantly disrupted. The humanitarian impact was immediate and severe. National authorities reported that at least 62 people had died across Kenya by mid-March, including children and 33 fatalities in Nairobi alone, with victims primarily drowning or being electrocuted by exposed power lines. Thousands of residents were forced from their homes as floodwaters submerged or destroyed housing structures, particularly in densely populated informal settlements such as Mukuru, Kibra, Mathare, Huruma, and parts of Embakasi. Nationwide, more than 2,600 families are known to have been displaced, while assessments indicated that tens of thousands of people were affected by loss of shelter, household assets, and livelihoods. The crisis disproportionately impacted low-income communities living in flood-prone areas along rivers and drainage channels, where housing structures are often informal and highly vulnerable to extreme weather events. Poor drainage infrastructure, blocked waterways, and unplanned urban expansion significantly exacerbated the flooding, allowing water and sewage to flow through residential areas. In several neighbourhoods, families lost homes, personal belongings, and sources of income overnight. The destruction of local infrastructure, including roads and electricity networks, further hindered emergency response and access to critical services. As floodwaters contaminated water sources and sanitation systems, humanitarian actors raised urgent concerns about heightened risks of water-borne diseases, food insecurity, and protection risks for displaced populations, particularly women, children, and elderly residents. With forecasts indicating continued heavy rainfall across Kenya’s long rains season, the situation remains fragile and requires urgency.