Kisumu Storm Damage Raises Fresh Safety Questions as Heavy Rains Loom

KISUMU, Kenya, October 8, 2026 — A brief but powerful storm tore into parts of Kisumu on Thursday, damaging buildings and vehicles and forcing workers to run for safety as strong winds swept through the city.

The incident has renewed concern over the safety of ageing buildings and roadside structures ahead of what forecasters expect to be a wetter-than-normal October-December season.

The rain lasted about 20 minutes, but the storm was enough to damage several structures in different parts of the city.

At a hardware business along Obote Road, part of a wall collapsed as workers were inside.

One employee, John Otieno, said the sudden collapse caused panic.

“I ducked under the table as I heard the screams of workers who were scampering out,” Otieno said.

The damage was not confined to buildings.

Along Jomo Kenyatta Highway, strong winds brought down a billboard, with parked vehicles reportedly damaged in the incident.

Kisumu County Commissioner Mohamed Ramadhan Mwabudzo visited some of the affected areas and said four structures had been damaged.

“There is damage to one, two, three, four structures as a result of the heavy rain followed with the strong winds,” Mwabudzo said.

Security officers were sent to the affected sites while the city planning team assessed the damaged structures.

Old buildings become a concern

Mwabudzo said some of the buildings affected along Obote Road were old and had ageing roofs.

He urged property owners and tenants to take the condition of buildings seriously, particularly as more heavy weather is expected.

“This is just a tip of the iceberg. We don’t know how heavy the rain will be,” he warned.

The warning comes as Kisumu and other parts of the Lake Victoria Basin prepare for a potentially challenging rainy season.

The Kenya Meteorological Department's October-December 2026 outlook points to above-average rainfall across much of the country, with heavy rainfall episodes and prolonged wet spells among the risks.

The regional climate centre, ICPAC, also expects longer wet spells in parts of the Lake Victoria region. Its outlook gives a high likelihood of wetter-than-normal conditions across much of the Greater Horn of Africa and warns that heavy rainfall could increase the risk of flooding and damage to infrastructure.

Kisumu had already begun preparing

The storm comes less than a month after Kisumu authorities stepped up preparations for the anticipated heavy rains.

In September, Governor Anyang' Nyong'o and Mwabudzo chaired a disaster preparedness meeting that brought together county officials, national government agencies and humanitarian organisations.

Officials identified low-lying areas, informal settlements, the Kano Plains and communities around the shores of Lake Victoria among areas requiring particular attention.

National agencies have also been assessing flood-prone areas in Nyando, where communities along the River Nyando face risks from rising water and flooding.

The National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority said a joint team involving the National Disaster Operations Centre, Kenya Red Cross and Kisumu County has been checking flood-control infrastructure, including dykes, while identifying gaps that could require urgent action.

That preparation will now face a more immediate test.

The latest storm shows that the risk is not limited to flooded roads or overflowing rivers. Strong winds can also expose weaknesses in roofs, walls, billboards and other structures in built-up areas.

For residents and businesses, the message from officials is becoming increasingly practical: inspect vulnerable structures before the next storm arrives.

For authorities, the challenge is ensuring that warnings are followed by inspections and action, particularly in older buildings and other structures located along busy roads.

The Thursday storm caused damage over a relatively short period.

With the rainy season only beginning, Kisumu's preparedness will increasingly be measured by how much damage can be prevented before the next one.

About the Author

Maureen Onyango is a journalist passionate about storytelling, life coaching and spiritual lessons. She studied at the Kenya Institute of Management and enjoys telling stories that inform, inspire and empower communities.