East Africa road flooding causes damage

Heavy rains across East Africa have caused major problems to road links for the region. The rains have resulted in roads being washed away in rural areas, while urban areas have also suffered badly. Storm drainage in many areas has proven unable to cope. Kenya’s busy capital Nairobi has seen roads that are normally heavily congested suddenly resemble rivers, with water washing away vehicles and various structures.
May 22, 2018 Read time: 1 min
Heavy rains across East Africa have caused major problems to road links for the region. The rains have resulted in roads being washed away in rural areas, while urban areas have also suffered badly. Storm drainage in many areas has proven unable to cope. Kenya’s busy capital Nairobi has seen roads that are normally heavily congested suddenly resemble rivers, with water washing away vehicles and various structures.


A number of key road links have been blocked as a result of floods and landslides. The highway connecting Rwanda’s capital Kigali with Gatuna had to be closed recently, causing delays to transport as the route is an important links with neighbouring Uganda.

Kenya’s Government is budgeting US$187 million to repair road links, while the Rwandan Government has estimated that road repairs to its flood-damaged routes will cost $28 million.

Road Structures

Related Content

  • Case equipment helps rebuild local communities after floods
    September 26, 2013
    The floods and burst riverbanks suffered last spring throughout Europe have highlighted once again the importance of having the right equipment at the right time. In Germany and more recently in Spain, Case equipment is said to have been indispensable during recovery work in flood-damaged areas. During June, roads, bridges, homes and forest trails in many urban areas were affected by the heavy rain that led to flooding throughout northern Spain’s entire Aran Valley (Lleida), and the overflowing of the Ga
    Read More
  • East Africa’s massive new ring road project
    June 30, 2016
    Plans are being drawn up for a major new highway project in East Africa. Preparations are being made by the authorities in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. The 450km ring road route runs around the shoreline of Lake Victoria and will provide better transport connections for Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, as well as for other near neighbours, particularly Rwanda and Burundi. New border posts will be required, to help increase the flow of traffic between the nations. Although it will be complex, the project will boos
    Read More
  • A new East Africa toll road linking Zambia and Tanzania
    October 30, 2023
    A new East Africa toll road is under construction to link Zambia with Tanzania.
    Read More
  • Kenyan key contract being built by Bechtel
    August 9, 2017
    Bechtel has won a major project to build and important highway link in Kenya. This will be the first long stretch of high-speed expressway in Kenya and will connect the capital, Nairobi, with the country’s main port, Mombasa. The project for the 473km connection is being supported with financing from US and UK sources. Once the new route is open to traffic, journeys between Nairobi will take just four hours by road, instead of 10 at present.
    Read More

Highlighted Content