Finally, the long awaited rains are here! No one seems to care whether it is El nino or normal rains. But if my experience today is anything to go by, we will soon forget the ravages of drought and start wishing away the rains!!

I left Nairobi as usual for my monthly fieldwork in Taveta. As I approached Manyani, I noticed that the clouds were gathering, a sign that it would rain. This was confirmed a few kilometers ahead where I encountered a heavy downpour. Finally, the rains had arrived!! It was a great feeling watching the clouds, the drizzles and seeing the dry earth soak up the rainwater as if to quench its thirst after the prolonged drought. As I drove further along I realized that the downpour was getting heavier and what seemed normal rains soon began to change into what the Meteorological department predicted to be the long awaited El Nino rains.

It got worse as I approached Voi where small streams of raging flood water had formed along Mombasa road and at one point the road was completely flooded causing a heavy traffic snarl-up at the Mombasa road Voi railway crossing. Here, we thought that we may spend the night on the road as traffic come to a complete standstill for about an hour. Luckily, my 4X4 vehicle managed to meander through the two feet of flood water crossing the road and we safely arrived in Voi albeit late. At the Voi junction some shops were submerged in 1 foot of muddy water as you can see in the photos below. Finally, the long awaited El nino had announced to coming in a very big way here in Tsavo. The hippos of Tsavo River can now swim again!

Driving towards Voi at Kibwezi where the first sign of rains started showing

Signs of the rain coming in past Manyani

Flooding caused by the heavy downpour at Mbololo

The traffic jam at the Voi Mombasa Junction at the railway crossing

Building under water in Voi

Livestock caught unaware by the raging water

Technorati : El nino, Iregi Mwenja, Tsavo, Voi, flooding, heavy downpour