Nairobi Forest Trails Flood Out
Heavy rains in Nairobi's Karura Forest (80mm in two days) have flooded most hiking trails, making them impassable. Forest officials are advising visitors to stick to hilltop areas only until water levels drop.
The current flooding is occurring at the start of Nairobi's "long rains" season, which typically runs from March to May. This period is one of two distinct rainy seasons for the city, the other being the "short rains" from October to November. While regular precipitation is expected, the intensity of these recent downpours has been significant. Five perennial tributaries of the Nairobi River flow through Karura Forest, and it is these waterways that have breached their banks. The rivers are the Ruaka, Karura, Gitathuru, Thigiri, and Mathare. As a result, the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has closed all paths leading to the forest's popular caves, waterfalls, and bridges until the water levels recede. This is not the first time heavy rains have inundated the area. Nairobi has a history of severe flooding, with notable events in 2024 and 2015 that also caused widespread disruption. Experts point to a combination of factors exacerbating the flooding, including the city's topography as a drainage basin and the impacts of urban development. Wider issues of deforestation and the degradation of the Nairobi River basin are also seen as contributing factors to the increased frequency and severity of floods. The loss of forest cover reduces the landscape's natural ability to absorb heavy rainfall, leading to more rapid and intense runoff into the river systems. Karura Forest, one of the largest urban gazetted forests in the world, covers 1,041 hectares and serves as a critical water catchment area for the city. Its management is a partnership between the Kenya Forest Service and the Friends of Karura Forest (FKF), a community association that has been instrumental in the forest's restoration since 2009. The forest is a celebrated conservation success story, having been defended from illegal land grabbing and deforestation in the 1990s, most notably by the late Nobel Laureate Professor Wangari Maathai. It now features over 50 kilometers of trails and is a vital green space for Nairobi residents. The current closures affect key attractions within the forest, including the 15-meter Karura waterfall and the historic Mau Mau caves. Officials have stated that the restrictions are a necessary safety precaution and that the affected areas will remain closed until inspections can confirm they are safe for public access again.
