Kenya Landslide Death Toll Rises to 26, Search Suspended Amid Flooding
The death toll from a landslide in western Kenya has climbed to 26 after four more bodies were recovered today, but rescue operations have been halted due to dangerous flash floods.
Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen reported that 25 people remain missing following Saturday’s landslide in the Rift Valley region’s Chesongoch area. The government has deployed four military aircraft to assist search teams, though access remains severely limited as roads have been washed away. Today’s search efforts were suspended when flash floods swept through the area, further complicating the already challenging rescue operation. This disaster highlights Kenya’s increasing vulnerability to climate change-related extreme weather events.
“It is very sad that families have lost five to six immediate family members,” Minister Murkomen told journalists. He added that the government will cover medical expenses for over 30 injured individuals and provide resettlement assistance to those who lost their homes. Authorities are also working to airlift supplies to affected communities, including 15 schools that are currently isolated, and ensure the delivery of national examination papers. For information on disaster preparedness, visit the American Red Cross website.
Oscar Okum, regional manager for the Kenya Red Cross, warned that the Rift Valley remains susceptible to further landslides. “Today, while we were doing search and recovery and rescue, we have had roads that are already opened being populated again by mudslides,” Okum said. “So it’s still an active incidence and we urge the community members to move to safer grounds for purposes of their safety, lives and livelihoods as well.” You can find more information about the ongoing flood situation in Kenya from ReliefWeb.
The government will continue airlifting supplies and monitoring the situation, urging residents in flood and landslide-prone areas to evacuate as heavy rains are forecast to continue across the country.
