Wamuzi News Ke
The death toll from the catastrophic landslide that swept through Moror Village and Chesongoch Centre in Marakwet East has risen to 21 confirmed fatalities, while more than 30 individuals remain missing, government officials announced Saturday.
Kipchumba Murkomen, Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, confirmed the update late afternoon, stating rescue operations were paused for the day as teams regroup ahead of a full-scale restart Sunday.
Deadly Slide Strikes Under Cover of Night.
The landslide, triggered by relentless rainfall late Friday, struck the highly vulnerable slopes of Marakwet East. Swollen seasonal rivers and saturated soil collapsed in rapid succession, swallowing homes, livestock and sections of the hillside itself.
Murkomen reports that at least 25 individuals with serious injuries have been air-lifted to hospitals in Eldoret, while dozens more were treated locally.
Rescue Effort On Pause, Families Brace for Grim Discovery.
In his address from the scene, Murkomen explained that rescue teams face treacherous terrain and ongoing slope instability, forcing them to suspend operations until daylight. “We have paused our search and rescue operations for today. We have confirmed the loss of 21 people to this tragedy, while over 30 people are still unaccounted for as reported by their families.”
The halt has left community members in anguish and uncertainty. Many families waited anxiously in emergency shelters, hoping for news of loved ones still buried beneath tons of debris and mud.
Aid Mobilised Amid Risk of Secondary Disasters.
The government has deployed police and military helicopters to deliver food, non-food relief supplies, and to assist in the upcoming Sunday operations. Murkomen urged residents living near seasonal riverbeds and known landslide-prone areas to evacuate immediately, citing further heavy rain forecast by the Kenya Meteorological Department.
Complicating relief efforts is the collapse of access roads into Marakwet East, which remain blocked by debris and mud. Local teams report that the steep terrain and lack of safe passages are hampering search and recovery work.
Environment, Land Use Failures at Heart of Crisis.
This tragic incident is not isolated. Experts have long warned that decades of land-use change, deforestation and inadequate soil conservation in the Kerio Valley region leave hillsides exceptionally vulnerable to heavy rainfall. The same area saw a fatal landslide in 2019 and frequent slope failures thereafter.
