Hundreds of families left homeless have received support after heavy rains and a hailstorm wreaked havoc in parts of Kisumu West and Seme subcounties last week.
Kisumu Deputy Governor Mathews Owili led a county delegation to distribute emergency relief and construction materials to the worst-hit communities.
“Our administration remains committed to cushioning vulnerable families during emergencies while strengthening long-term resilience against climate-related disasters,” Owili said.
Families whose homes and farms were destroyed and institutions which were damaged received 4,200 iron sheets, 500 blankets, 33 bags of maize (50kgs each) and 30 bags of beans (90kgs each) in donations.
Some houses were either damaged or flattened, leaving residents to spend nights in the cold.
Owili thanked the Kenya Red Cross for being part of the donation drive, while also appealing to well-wishers and humanitarian agencies to complement the county’s efforts in helping the victims rebuild their lives.
He was joined by county commissioner Benson Leparmorijo, CEC for Governance and public administration Salmon Orimba, East Seme MCA Seth Okumu, South West Kisumu Ward MCA Jennifer Obonyo and nominated MCA Kennedy Ajwang’.
The leaders pledged continued support, assuring residents that the county was exploring long-term solutions to climate-related disasters that have become increasingly frequent.
Lydia Akinyi from Osiri village recalled how the storm, which began shortly after 4 pm, turned her evening into a nightmare.
“The hailstones were big and tore holes in my roof. We were caught off guard. Everything inside the house was destroyed and we were forced to sleep outside,” the 76-year-old said.
Other residents described the storm as the worst they had ever experienced.
“We thought it was normal, but things turned tragic when the hailstones started pounding,” James Oloo said.
Kisumu West resident Kephas Kasera said, “What happened in our village is historic. We’ve never seen anything of this magnitude.”
Another local said the destruction was massive, with their mother’s house being torn apart and a neighbour’s house completely destroyed.
Villages in Kisumu West including Karanok, Kanyamwa, Kamwanda, Kanyajowi and Konyamgo, were severely affected as many houses lost their rooftops.
At Osiri Primary and Secondary schools, classrooms were left with gaping holes, forcing learning to be suspended.
Windows were shattered by the hailstones. Some residents also reported minor injuries sustained during the storm.
For now, the focus remains on rebuilding homes and restoring a sense of normalcy for the thousands displaced.
