Residents of Nairobi's Mathare informal settlement are taking precautions against the threat of heavy El Niño rains, nearly two years after devastating floods swept away homes, destroyed livelihoods and claimed lives.

With Kenya's Meteorological Service warning of potentially intense rainfall between October and December, the government has urged around 1.5 million people living in flood-prone areas to move to higher ground.

Along the Mathare River, residents are clearing rubbish and debris in an effort to reduce the risk of flooding. Many remember the destruction caused by the 2024 rains, when rising waters overwhelmed homes and swept away property.