A blazing fire shut down east Africa’s most important transport hub on Wednesday, 7 August.

Nairobi’s international airport, JIKA (Jomo Kenyatta International Airport), caught fire just after 5am (Kenyan time).

All flights into and out of JIKA have been cancelled – apart from emergency landings.

Michael Kamau, senior transport ministry official, said, “This is a major crisis. The airport serves as a regional hub for east Africa, with many long-distance international flights landing here to connect to countries across the region.”

Flights are being diverted to other airports including the port city of Mombasa.

Images on world media showed flames rising high in the sky and billowing clouds of black smoke out of the main arrivals and departures terminal, with dozens of police and fire trucks at the scene.