At least 21 individuals lost their lives, and 30 are still unaccounted for following a landslide that occurred in Kenya’s western Rift Valley on Saturday. The calamity struck the hilly Chesongoch region in Elgeyo Marakwet County, after continuous rainfall during the short rainy season that has led to extensive destruction.
Over 1,000 residences were obliterated as mudslides swept through communities, severing multiple roads and isolating neighborhoods. Government rescue teams braved the downpour to search for survivors, while 30 individuals suffering from serious injuries were airlifted to a medical facility in Eldoret City.
Local resident Stephen Kittony recounted to Citizen Television that he heard a thunderous sound before rushing outside with his children, fleeing in different directions as the landslide approached.
Government plans relocation for affected families
Authorities have confirmed that rescue efforts are ongoing despite the adverse weather conditions. Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen indicated that the government is in the process of identifying an alternative settlement area for those who have been displaced.
Chesongoch’s steep landscape has a sorrowful history of similar incidents. Landslides in 2010 and 2012 resulted in numerous fatalities, and in 2020, severe flooding destroyed a local shopping center.
