Fear gripped Kashingye Primary School in Nyundo Sub-county, Kisoro District, after a heavy rainstorm accompanied by hailstones hit the school and neighbouring communities, causing concern among learners and disrupting school activities.
The storm was reported in several areas of Nyundo Sub-county, including Mukozi, Rwebikonko, Musezero and Rulembo. However, Kashingye Primary School was among the areas most affected, with the entire school compound left covered in hailstones, leaving learners frightened and uncertain about what might happen.
The rainfall, which was received on Thursday between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., was intense, with hailstones reportedly covering the ground in some areas. Several communities were blanketed with hailstones, affecting crops such as bananas, maize and Irish potatoes.
One resident near Kashingye Primary School said the situation was beyond human control, with hailstones covering the area, and appealed for divine protection for the affected communities.
Residents have also raised concerns about possible damage to houses, crops and other property caused by the heavy rain and hailstorm.
The incident was confirmed by Denis Habyara, the LCV councillor for Nyundo Sub-county, who advised residents whose houses have tall roof structures, locally referred to as “enkyingo ndeigwa,” to consider reducing their height where necessary to minimise the risk of erosion and damage during heavy storms.
Habyara urged parents and schools to take precautions during thunderstorms, including ensuring that learners have appropriate footwear and avoiding unnecessary movement or collecting water during heavy rainfall.
The latest storm comes as parts of Kisoro continue to experience unpredictable and sometimes intense weather conditions, raising concerns about the safety of communities in disaster-prone areas.
Meanwhile, residents of Kisoro District in southwestern Uganda have been warned to prepare for heavier rainfall, floods, landslides and lightning strikes expected to persist through 2027.
The warning was issued by Kisoro District Environment Officer Unice Akankwasa, who said meteorological forecasts indicate that the district could experience rainfall patterns unlike any recorded in the past 150 years.
Kisoro lies in Uganda’s extreme southwest, bordering Rwanda to the south and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west, with Rubanda and Kanungu districts on its other sides.
The district is characterised by steep hills and mountainous terrain, including the Virunga mountain range and Mount Muhabura. Its headquarters are in Kisoro Town.
The terrain makes the district particularly vulnerable to the effects of heavy rainfall, with runoff from the mountains and hills capable of triggering floods and landslides in lower-lying communities.
Recent events have demonstrated these risks. In February 2026, heavy rains triggered flash floods from the foothills of Mount Muhabura and areas around Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, destroying crop gardens and damaging a major tourism road linking Kisoro Town to the park.
The same month, two children were swept away and killed by fast-flowing floodwaters from Mount Muhabura in Nyarusiza Sub-county while fetching firewood during heavy rainfall.
Kisoro has also experienced deadly landslides in previous years. In December 2023, two children were killed when a mudslide destroyed their home in Kanaba Sub-county following a heavy downpour.
In May that year, heavy rains triggered mudslides in Murora Sub-county and Bunagana Town Council, killing at least 10 people in Kisoro District.
Against this background, Akankwasa said the anticipated heavy rains could trigger lightning, flooding and landslides capable of destroying crops, property and infrastructure while putting lives at risk.
“The rains may trigger lightning, flooding and landslides capable of destroying crops, property and infrastructure, and endangering lives,” Akankwasa said.
She said the warning comes after a prolonged dry spell that has already caused crop failure in several gardens and water shortages in some communities.
Akankwasa urged residents to avoid risky behaviour during downpours, including travelling during heavy rains, cultivating in gardens while it is raining, washing utensils outside and sheltering under trees.
“Households should switch off televisions and phones during thunderstorms and keep doors and windows closed to minimise lightning-related risks,” Akankwasa said.
The warning comes as communities in Kisoro continue to contend with the effects of the district’s rugged terrain and increasingly damaging episodes of heavy rainfall.
Local authorities are urging residents to take weather warnings seriously and avoid activities and locations that could expose them to flooding, landslides and lightning as the district prepares for the expected rains.
