Kakuma, Kenya : torrential rains destroy over 100 homes and leave hundreds homeless

SOS Médias Burundi

Kakuma, February 26, 2026 – Exceptionally heavy rain has been pounding the Kakuma refugee camp in northwestern Kenya since last weekend, destroying homes, schools, and places of worship, and leaving more than 200 people homeless.

A region caught by surprise

After more than six months without a drop of rain, the Turkana West region has been hit since last Saturday by heavy rain mixed with hail, causing widespread destruction in the Kakuma refugee camp.

The hardest-hit areas are Kakuma I, II, and III, where several houses, schools, clinics, and churches have been destroyed. Two small trading centers, known as the “Burundian Market” and the “Somali Market,” were also destroyed.

More than 100 houses and several public buildings destroyed

According to local leaders, more than 100 houses, three churches, and four primary schools were affected by the torrential rains. No deaths have been reported so far.

More than 200 people are now homeless. Some have found refuge with neighbors, while others are sleeping at the camp’s reception center.

The UNHCR : limited resources

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) indicated that it does not have the resources to provide corrugated iron sheets to those affected. “You must organize yourselves. Otherwise, we can provide you with tents, but not corrugated iron sheets, because our resources are exhausted,” said a UNHCR official.

This lack of funding also affects more than a thousand new asylum seekers, who have been camped at the reception center for over a year, waiting for housing.

A rapidly growing refugee population

The Kakuma complex and its extension in Kalobeyei currently host more than 250,000 refugees, including approximately 25,000 Burundians, who are exposed to the vagaries of the climate and precarious living conditions. Residents are appealing to charitable organizations for help to meet their urgent needs, as rain has washed away their homes and belongings.