Heavy rains triggered massive mudslides in Kenya’s western Rift Valley, destroying more than 1,000 homes and leaving widespread devastation. Authorities confirmed that at least 21 people died, while more than 30 remain missing in Chesongoch, Elgeyo Marakwet County. The disaster struck on Saturday after several days of relentless rainfall during Kenya’s short rain season.
Officials reported that the mudslides swept through the hilly region with tremendous force, cutting off key roads and isolating villages. The government quickly airlifted 30 severely injured survivors to hospitals in nearby Eldoret City for urgent treatment.
Residents Describe a Night of Chaos
Local witnesses recalled hearing a deafening roar before mud and debris tore through their homes. Many residents ran for their lives in panic, escaping in different directions as the ground shifted beneath them. “We heard the mountain crack before everything went dark,” one villager said.
Rescue workers battled through heavy rain to search for survivors trapped under collapsed houses. Disaster response teams used excavators and shovels to sift through thick mud and debris, while families waited nearby for news of missing loved ones.
Government Plans New Settlement for Victims
Kenya’s Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said the government continues to lead rescue and recovery operations. He confirmed that officials are identifying safer locations to resettle displaced families.
Chesongoch has suffered repeated disasters in recent years. Landslides in 2010 and 2012 claimed dozens of lives, and in 2020, floods washed away a busy shopping centre. Authorities now face mounting pressure to improve early warning systems and strengthen protections for communities living in high-risk areas.
