Pain and uncertainty continue to grip villages in Elgeyo Marakwet as recovery teams pulled out four more bodies on Monday, raising the number of people confirmed dead in the Chesongoch landslide to 32.
The tragedy struck on Friday, October 31 after continuous heavy rainfall loosened soil on steep slopes, burying homes and sweeping away residents in Marakwet East. Over 20 people remain missing as desperate relatives camp at rescue sites hoping their loved ones will be found.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen called on communities living along the Kerio Valley to take weather alerts seriously and move to higher and safer locations as more rain is expected.
“I appeal to residents in Kerio Valley and other high-risk locations to heed the alerts and relocate,” he said, noting that emergency responders will continue working around the clock. Nineteen survivors have so far been rescued and several are undergoing treatment at Chesongoch Mission Hospital.
Access challenges remain one of the biggest setbacks for the search teams, who are struggling through muddy slopes, fallen trees and blocked roads.
Air support has been mobilised to ferry the injured, move emergency supplies and reach cut-off families who cannot be accessed by road. Residents and volunteers have joined the effort, digging through collapsed soil and searching riverbanks as hope slowly fades but determination remains strong.
Away from Chesongoch, another tragedy unfolded in Keiyo North on Sunday night when two family members died after rocks rolled down a hill and smashed into their house in Kipkenda village.
Three others were injured and are receiving treatment, with authorities linking the incident to intense rainfall in the area.
Officials warn that more landslides may occur if the rains persist, especially in hilly and valley zones already soaked and unstable. Families living near slopes are being urged to move immediately rather than wait for rescue teams to respond later.
Emergency teams say they will not slow down operations until every missing person is accounted for and affected families receive support.
Weather-related emergencies have also been reported in other parts of the country as heavy downpours continue. With forecasts showing more rain ahead, fears of further disasters are growing, pushing authorities and humanitarian teams to prepare for extended rescue and relief efforts in the coming days.
