Airlift operations got underway in Elgeyo Marakwet as the first group of injured survivors from the devastating mudslides in Kerio Valley were flown to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret.
The disaster, which swept through villages including Embobut early this morning, left more than 20 people dead and flattened several homes, prompting a major rescue and medical emergency response.
Three Kenya Defence Forces helicopters have been deployed to ferry the injured from the disaster zone, with each trip taking about 30 minutes to Eldoret.
The airlifts began shortly after rescue teams reached the worst-hit areas where residents had been trapped and homes destroyed by the fast-moving mud.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen is on the ground overseeing rescue operations, while Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat is stationed at the Eldoret Airstrip to coordinate the arrival and transfer of the injured to hospital.
The Kenya Red Cross and medical teams have also been flown into the valley to support rescue efforts and offer emergency treatment to those still trapped or injured.
At the Eldoret Airstrip, several ambulances have been positioned to receive patients immediately after landing and rush them to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital. Medical personnel at the facility and other health centres in Eldoret are already on standby to handle the influx.
Counties surrounding Elgeyo Marakwet have mobilised their emergency teams and equipment, including ambulances, to strengthen the response. “All governors in the region are helping to coordinate aid to the affected areas,” Rotich said, noting that inter-county cooperation has been critical in supporting victims and the rescue teams.
Authorities say the priority remains evacuating the injured and searching for those still missing as rescue operations continue through the evening. More flights and support teams are expected to be dispatched depending on the needs on the ground.
The mudslides, triggered by heavy overnight rainfall, swept through homes as residents slept, leaving families devastated and communities in shock.
Rescue and recovery teams are continuing to comb through the debris as the search for missing persons intensifies, with officials urging patience as emergency teams battle tough terrain and unstable ground.
