This archive report was first published on 24 December 2019.
Heavy floods in Nyando, Kisumu County, have left a trail of destruction, displacing hundreds of residents and leaving at least 100 people homeless.
According to reports, River Nyando burst its banks, causing severe damage to homes and leaving over 50 mud-walled houses partially destroyed or collapsed.
As the ongoing rains continue, the situation is expected to worsen, with over 500 people potentially spending Christmas at the Nyamasao Primary School rescue centre.
"The calamity now calls for urgent humanitarian aid for the affected people as a number of families are not in a position to rebuild their homes following the wanton destruction," said Ombaka-Kakola Assistant Chief Jacob Ong'udi.
At the Nyamasao camp, 535 people, including children, are seeking refuge, with resources strained due to the high number of people in need of food, clean water, and medication.
Other residents have sought shelter at Kochogo Baptist Church, while some have moved in with relatives in neighbouring villages.
Mr Thaddeus Ouma Arodi, a clan elder from Kasindi South village, has also been affected, with part of his house collapsing and six members of his family displaced.
"I have been forced to move my family out of this place as we wait for things to normalise," he said.
The prolonged effect of the flood water has caused most of the structures to rot, with some houses becoming home to dangerous snakes.
