One injured as storm hits Nyamira schools

Students and teachers of Matongo Boys High School in Nyamira on Saturday evening cheated death after a raging storm blew off roofs.

A similar disaster also hit Nyakaranga Primary School where roofs in the whole school were destroyed in the storm.

In other areas the storm brought with it a trail of destruction in people's farms as hailstones fell.

At Matongo Boys, one student was slightly injured, Principal Tom Suruma said.

Suruma said the Form One student was injured during a stampede which broke out during the 5pm incident.

Roofs of the school staff room and two Form One classrooms were entirely blown away.

Suruma said the amount of destruction could not be quantified immediately but the loss could approximately cost the institution Sh3 million.

North Mugirango MP Joash Nyamoko and Bokeria MCA Callen Atuya have raised concern over the state of roofs and structures in most Nyamira schools.

Nyamoko said most schools are old and need renovation to remain safe.

"For example, this school was started in 1965. The engineers who designed the structures never considered the current environmental dynamics," he said.

The MP also cited Matongo, Nyyakaranga, Ikamu and Chitago in Kitutu Masaba, where storms have destroyed school structures.

Nyamoko urged the county government to help affected schools.

"When disasters strike, we have no time to draw lines between the national and county governments because even the devolved system has a kitty for emergency programmes.

By Saturday afternoon, the county government was yet to respond to the call for help.