The Kenyan government has confirmed that 21 people have died following a devastating landslide in the western region of the country after days of heavy rainfall.
Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said the victims’ bodies were moved to a nearby airstrip after the landslide struck Marakwet East late Friday night. He added that more than 30 people remain missing, while 25 others with serious injuries have been airlifted for medical treatment.
The Kenyan Red Cross reported that several affected areas remain inaccessible due to mudslides and flash floods, making rescue efforts difficult. Search and rescue operations were temporarily halted on Saturday evening but are set to resume on Sunday.
Murkomen said preparations are underway to deliver food and other essential relief supplies to victims, with military and police helicopters on standby for transport.
Kenya is currently in its second rainy season, which typically brings a few weeks of intense rainfall. Authorities have urged residents living near seasonal rivers or recent landslide zones to relocate to safer areas.
Across the border in Uganda, flash floods and landslides have also claimed several lives since Wednesday. On Saturday, the Uganda Red Cross confirmed that a mudslide in Kapsomo village destroyed a house and killed four people. The organization added that continuous heavy rains have caused rivers in the Bulambuli District to overflow, leading to widespread destruction of homes, crops, and community infrastructure.
