Three people were swept away by floodwaters, in Nairobi, Kenya, earlier this week.
This is the second time the East African country has had torrential rains.
Back in March, some 37 people, were killed by a floodstorm in March this year.
Experts at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), say climate change and rapid urbanization are increasing the risk of water-related disasters.
Fruzsina Straus, Head of Disaster Risk Reduction at UNEP, said “across African cities, water extremes – too much during intense rains and too little during droughts – are driving increasingly severe impacts,” said“Cities must adapt rapidly to this new water volatility.”
Straus also said because African cities are urbanizing faster than anywhere else on the planet, they need to take action to protect rivers, wetlands and open ground that naturally absorbs rainfall.
Nairobi had rains from March to May, as well as Kampala, Uganda, Juba and South Sudan.
Experts say this has made these cities become dangerously exposed to seasonal downpours.
“In many places ageing sewer systems are struggling to handle storm runoff. Roads and concrete surfaces have replaced the ground that once absorbed water. And many open drains have become blocked by rubbish.”
Yet precipitation is projected to rise in the Region by 40% or more.
From story written by Andrew Raven, reviewed by Deen Sharp, Fruzsina Straus, Cecilia Aipira, of UNEP.
Picture: via Instagram