Kenya: At least 21 people have died and 30 remain missing following a devastating landslide in Kenya’s Western Rift Valley, authorities confirmed Sunday. The disaster struck the Chesongoch area in Elgeyo Marakwet County, where heavy rains have been pounding the mountainous region for several days.
The landslide, which occurred on Saturday, destroyed over 1,000 homes, leaving hundreds of families displaced. The Kenyan government quickly mobilized emergency teams, airlifting 30 seriously injured residents to hospitals in Eldoret for urgent medical care.
Local residents described the suddenness of the catastrophe. Stephen Kitany, a Chesongoch resident, told Citizen Television he was jolted awake by a “loud noise” and fled his home with his children just in time.
Rescue operations continued despite ongoing rainfall, with disaster response teams and volunteers combing through mud and debris in hopes of locating the missing. Officials cautioned that the recovery effort could take days due to the region’s challenging terrain.
Landslides are a recurring hazard in Chesongoch. Previous incidents in 2010 and 2012 claimed dozens of lives, while severe flooding in 2020 destroyed a local shopping center.
Home Affairs Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said the government is working to identify safer areas for the displaced families to relocate, emphasizing that preventing future tragedies remains a priority.
As the community reels from this latest calamity, relief agencies have called for urgent assistance in food, shelter, and medical supplies to aid those affected by the disaster.
