Victims of the devastating Elgeyo Marakwet landslides are receiving treatment at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH), even as rescue teams continue searching for those still trapped under the debris.
The landslide, which struck at night, has so far claimed 30 lives, with 19 people still missing. Survivors have shared harrowing accounts of the tragedy that struck without warning.
Margaret Kiptoo, one of the survivors, recounted the terrifying moments when the landslide hit her home. She was with her disabled son, who remains missing.
“I heard strange sounds and went outside to check. I thought it was just water flowing down the river, so I went back to sleep. Then rocks fell on me, and I couldn’t find my child,” she said, recalling how her mouth was soon filled with mud and water.
Eighty-nine-year-old Gabriel Yego said the community was caught off guard while most residents were asleep.
“It was the first time I had seen such a thing. The water was too much; it swept away many people,” he lamented.
Other survivors described fleeing across the rocky terrain, desperately trying to outrun the fast-moving mud and water.
Leaders, including Uasin Gishu County MP Gladys Boss Shollei, and former MPs Jackson Kiptanui and Linah Kilimo, have called for lasting solutions to prevent future disasters in the area.
Search and rescue operations are ongoing in Chesongoch, but progress has been slowed by impassable roads and blocked routes.
The government has deployed aerial support to assist with evacuation, medical aid, and supply delivery.
The Ministry of Interior has warned that heavy rains will continue across several parts of the country, increasing the risk of floods and landslides, particularly in hilly and riverine regions.
A multi-agency team including the National Government Administration Officers (NGAOs), National Police Service, Kenya Red Cross, and other partners continues to coordinate rescue, relief, and evacuation efforts on the ground.
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