The Kenyan government has confirmed that 21 people have died following a landslide in the western part of the country after heavy rainfall.
Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said the bodies had been transferred to a nearby airstrip after the landslide in Marakwet East late on Friday night.
He stated on X that more than 30 people were still unaccounted for after being reported missing by their families, while 25 people with serious injuries had been airlifted to receive further medical attention.
The Kenyan Red Cross, which is helping to coordinate rescue efforts, indicated that the most affected areas remain inaccessible by road due to mudslides and flash flooding.
The search and rescue operation was paused on Saturday evening but will resume on Sunday. Murkomen noted, Preparation to supply more food and non-food relief items to the victims is underway,” adding that military and police helicopters are on standby to transport the items.
Kenya is experiencing its second rainy season, typically characterized by shorter periods of wet weather compared to a more severe earlier rainy season.
The government has advised individuals living near seasonal rivers and in areas that experienced landslides to relocate to safer ground.
Meanwhile, similar conditions have led to flash flooding and landslides in Uganda, near the border with Kenya, resulting in multiple casualties.
On Saturday, Uganda Red Cross reported another mudslide in Kapsomo village in eastern Uganda, destroying a house and killing four people inside. Floods have reportedly severely impacted villages near riverbanks in the Bulambuli District following continuous heavy rains, causing significant destruction to homes, agricultural land, and infrastructure.
