NAIROBI, Kenya- A brief but powerful storm battered Kisumu on Thursday, damaging buildings and vehicles and prompting authorities to plan inspections as Kenya prepares for a wetter-than-normal October–December rainy season.
The heavy rain and strong winds affected parts of Kisumu East.
At least four structures were damaged, according to Kisumu County Commissioner Ramadhan Mwabudzo.
A billboard along Jomo Kenyatta Highway was blown down onto parked vehicles, while part of a wall and the roof at Jumbo Steel Mills Hardware on Obote Road were damaged.
Trees were uprooted and power lines affected in parts of the city.
The downpour lasted less than 30 minutes, but residents described the wind as unusually strong.
“The wind was too much. It could blow away anything,” resident Mary Owino said.
Authorities to inspect buildings and billboards
Mwabudzo said the storm had renewed concerns about the safety of older buildings and structures along busy streets.
He urged landlords and tenants to check their properties and said the county administration would work with the city planning department to inspect buildings and billboards.
“Today’s experience has sent a new alert to both the city planning team and my team,” he said, adding that authorities would also assess drainage systems despite ongoing work to improve drainage and control flooding.
Kenya Met forecasts above-average rains
The storm comes as the Kenya Meteorological Department forecasts above-average rainfall across much of the country during the October–December short-rains season.
Kisumu is among 43 counties expected to receive above-average rainfall. Kenya Met said rains in western Kenya, including Kisumu, were expected to continue from September into January, with prolonged wet spells and occasional isolated storms forecast in several areas.
El Niño is associated with increased rainfall in Kenya during the short-rains season.
However, the storm should not by itself be taken as proof that El Niño conditions have formally begun.
On October 1, Kenya Met said it had not yet declared the onset of El Niño rains, even as it reported that rainfall had started in Kisumu and other western counties.
The department’s seasonal outlook and a separate 24-hour forecast issued on Thursday included Kisumu among counties expected to receive rain.
Residents and property owners have been urged to remain alert as the rainy season continues.
