In brief
In the wake of heavy rains, a landslide in Marakwet East, Kenya, has left 21 people dead, with over 30 reported missing and numerous injuries. Rescue efforts remain challenging due to inaccessible roads, prompting emergency measures and warnings for local residents to relocate to safer areas. The incident also reflects broader weather-related disasters affecting the region, including recent floods and mudslides in Uganda.
The Kenyan government has confirmed that 21 people have died following a landslide in the western part of the country after heavy rainfall. Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen stated that the bodies had been transferred to a nearby airstrip after the landslide in Marakwet East late on Friday night.
He noted that more than 30 individuals remain unaccounted for after being reported missing, while 25 people with serious injuries were airlifted for further medical attention. The Kenyan Red Cross is coordinating rescue efforts, but many affected areas are still inaccessible by road due to mudslides and flash flooding.
Search and rescue operations were paused on Saturday evening, but are expected to resume on Sunday. Murkomen mentioned that preparations are underway to supply food and non-food relief items to the victims, with military and police choppers on standby for transport.
This incident coincides with Kenya's second rainy season, which typically brings short bursts of wet weather, and authorities have urged those living near seasonal rivers and known landslide areas to seek safer ground.
Moreover, flash flooding and landslides in Uganda, especially near the border with Kenya, have claimed more lives since last Wednesday. The Uganda Red Cross reported a recent mudslide in Kapsomo village, where four individuals were killed, while continuous rains have led to overflowing rivers and significant destruction of homes and crops in the Bulambuli District.
