Even without the interference of El Niño, Nairobi, Kenya is prone to flooding. Above: Motorists drive through heavy rains in the Kibera community on March 14. Flooding that month took over 100 lives in the capital city. Donwilson Odhiambo/Getty Images hide caption

Donwilson Odhiambo/Getty Images

Nairobi is a city of rivers, streams and almost six million people.

For weeks, Kenya's bustling capital has braced for potentially catastrophic floods, as forecasters predict the strongest El Niño event on record this winter. Globally, this year's Super El Niño will likely peak in November or December and continue into early 2027. But Nairobi isn't just watching and waiting.

On a sunny October day near the city center, a team of workers in reflective vests shovels dirt and clears debris from the bank of a river. It's unseasonably hot — and hot days usually suggest there's an unusually strong rainy season ahead.

"The best thing to do is to be prepared," says Alex Oyando, a 30-year-old worker.…