A screengrab of a billboard on top of a car in Kisumu after heavy rains on Thursday afternoon, October 8, 2026.

Property of unknown value was destroyed on Thursday evening as heavy rains accompanied by strong winds swept across the lakeside city of Kisumu.

Traders who sought shelter along corridors were forced to find alternative shelter as trees, billboards and other objects came tumbling down.

“Nimesikia tu sauti ingine ikipiga pwa pwa hadi watu wenye walikuwa hapo ndani wakashtuka yaani kila mtu amekimbia na kufika hapa tunaona imefanya madhara mingi," said a resident, Emmanuel Agira.

Jude Lumumba added, "There is a first tree that fell on the other side before the billboard fell and if you look at the drainage right now it is really full and there is a lot that is happening in terms of drainage.”

The rains have jolted government agencies into action, with plans to unclog drainage systems and construct additional dykes being set in motion.

The county government says it will install additional drainage systems in the city, while the Ministry of East African Community Affairs says it is advancing plans to construct more dykes.

Residents in flood-prone areas have also been urged to remain vigilant.

“For the people who are in lower areas that are prone to flooding, please move to higher areas. For people who are living in buildings that are weak or that may collapse, please, uh, evacuate the buildings," Kisumu City Manager Fred Mariwa stated.

EAC Affairs PS Caroline Karugu added, “We have already built 10 km worth of dykes. And in 2 weeks I'll be back to do another groundbreaking for an extra 3 km of dykes around the Nyando area to ensure that flooding does not affect the lives of those people and also does not affect the harvests.”

The short rains season was predicted to kick off in October, with the El Niño effect expected to exacerbate the intensity and duration of the rains.