Heavy rains accompanied with strong winds and hailstorms wreaked havoc in Lugari sub-county, Kakamega County, felling trees and destroying property. Over ten families from Mautuma and Chekalini locations have been rendered homeless after their homes were destroyed by the rains.
The families have been forced to spend nights in the cold following the destruction with some roofs ripped off and strewn over 200 meters away. According to a victim, Daniel Ndombi Sikolia a resident of Misanga village in Mautuma, his house roof was ripped off during a heavy downpour that was accompanied with heavy storms on Thursday night leaving
him and his family of five homeless.
“The incident occurred few minutes past midnight while we were deep asleep. I sought help from my immediate neighbour who came to my rescue and helped save my children, but the other property was destroyed,” explained Ndombi.
At the neighbouring Mlimani village, the roof was ripped off as Maurice Wasike was sleeping at 3pm. Stuff from his house was propelled by the raging wind and punctured other roofs in the neighbouring plot over 100 meters away.
Another victim Agneta Maina said the roof of her business premise was ripped off and thrown on the power lines where it was left hanging dangerously.
She said despite informing the Kenya power official in the area, by the time she was addressing the press they hadn’t visited the scene yet the power was still on.
She said the rain had also destroyed other buildings in her compound and in the neighbourhood.
Christ Foundation Gospel Ministries Church in Misanga village was not spared either as the roof was ripped off and thrown several meters away.
A similar incident was witnessed at Koromait in Chekalini location where several buildings were destroyed and livestock killed in the heavy downpour. “I found some parts of my posho mill strewn on the road after the building that housed it was destroyed by the rains,” said Mrs. Elizabeth Kamonya, a businesswoman at Koromait trading centre.
Farmers are also counting loses after the raging floods swept the plants including maize and vegetables downstream.
The victims are now sending an appeal to the government and other emergency agencies to come to their aid and assist them with basic needs besides assisting them rebuild their structures.