Twisted scraps of metal, large splinters of wood and misplaced mattresses are all that remains of what were once people’s homes in Mukuru Wa Reuben slum in the Kenyan capital.

Across the wider Nairobi County, hundreds of people have also seen their homes knocked down.

The demolitions follow a government order for anyone living near rivers to leave their homes and move to higher ground in the wake of heavy rains and flooding, which have ravaged East Africa over numerous weeks.

Slums make up the majority of neighbourhoods built on marginal land along river valleys.

The government has said the demolitions were necessary in order to prevent further deaths. It also argued that living within 40 metres of the banks of a river is illegal.

Earlier, authorities gave people in earmarked areas 24 hours to evacuate – a deadline that expired on Friday evening.

However, many residents told the BBC they were caught by surprise and that their homes were demolished before the cut-off point.

Nicholas, a casual labourer, came home from work to find his house decimated.

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