River Nyando bursts banks, floods homes and schools

Residents of Nyando and Ahero in Kisumu county are counting heavy losses after River Nyando burst its banks, flooding homes, schools and businesses amid rising fears of disease outbreaks.

The flooding, triggered by sustained rainfall across western Kenya, has turned large sections of Ahero into a waterlogged expanse, leaving hundreds displaced.

Traders on the Kericho–Awasi–Kisumu road were forced to wade through knee-deep water as their businesses stalled.

“I opened my shop this morning only to find everything in the water. We are standing in it, and we don’t know what to salvage,” trader Martha Onyango said.

The Kenya Red Cross Society has described the situation as critical, with water levels continuing to rise following heavy rains recorded between Monday and yesterday.

Rivers across the region are swollen, with River Nyando already overflowing. Schools have been closed, roads rendered impassable and businesses disrupted, heightening the risk of displacement in low-lying areas.

Two families have been rescued, while more than 200 people and 200 livestock have been evacuated to safer areas.

At Ahero Girls' High School, flooding has disrupted learning and exposed 1,600 students to health risks, forcing authorities to consider evacuation.

Agnes Salome Awuor, a board of management member, described the situation as dire.

“We are witnessing what is happening on the ground. River Nyando has burst its banks and the school is flooded. We came in official shoes, but now we are wearing boots,” she said, adding that meetings could no longer be held in school facilities.

“We had to conduct our meeting inside a bus.”

Awuor raised concerns over the safety of learners, warning of potential disease outbreaks due to contaminated water.

“Our children are walking barefoot in this water. Animals are also in the same water and the sewage system has overflowed into the school. This exposes them to malaria, cholera and other infections,” she said.

Awuor urged the government to construct dykes similar to those in Budalang’i to prevent recurrent flooding.

The school remains open for now, pending direction from the Ministry of Education and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).

Prof Basil Iro, chairperson of the academic committee, said the floods have disrupted examinations and normal learning activities.

“We are in the middle of a three-day examination period, but classes have been affected. Parts of the school are flooded and this is not a conducive environment for learning,” he said.

While food supplies and learning materials remain safe, he emphasised the overall situation requires urgent intervention.

“This is a disaster that needs a multi-sectoral response from both national and county governments. It is disappointing that no officials are on the ground,” he added.

Vitalis Odipo, chair of the parents’ association, attributed the flooding to runoff from upstream regions and called for coordinated action among counties.

“The water we are seeing here is not from local rainfall alone. It is coming from Kericho and Nandi Hills. This problem requires collaboration between Kisumu, Nandi and Kericho counties,” he said.

Odipo assured parents that dormitories and key facilities remain intact.

As a precaution, the school has switched off electricity to prevent accidents.

Meanwhile, the government issued an urgent advisory to motorists after River Nyando overflowed at Ahero Bridge, making the Kericho–Awasi–Kisumu road dangerous and impassable.

Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura warned the situation is particularly risky at night.

“All motorists are advised to use alternative routes. Traffic to and from Kisumu should divert at Timboroa through Lesos to Kapsabet–Chavakali–Kisumu until the situation stabilises,” he said.

Nationally, the floods have claimed at least 81 lives and displaced thousands, with 21 counties affected, according to the Ministry of Interior.

Data released on Sunday shows nearly 69,000 households have been displaced, with key infrastructure such as roads, bridges, markets and farms destroyed.

Authorities warn the situation could worsen as the Kenya Meteorological Department forecasts continued heavy rainfall, flash floods and storm hazards.

Back in Nyando, residents say they have been left to fend for themselves and are calling for urgent government intervention before the situation spirals further.

“We are losing everything, our businesses, our homes. We need help now,” trader Mark Ouma said, standing helplessly in floodwaters that continue to rise.