Fifty families were displaced by landslides and floods in Lari subcounty in Kiambu following heavy rain at the weekend.
Deputy county commissioner Aaron Koros said the affected areas include Kimende, Escarpment and Kinale.
He said families were forced to move to higher ground since most of the areas are flat.
Speaking to the Star on the phone, Koros said Matathia, Bathi, Magina and parts of Gitithia experienced landslides.
"As of Sunday, there is no casualty or injuries reported but what we can report is stagnant water and destruction of roads," Koros said.
Kijabe MCA Nyutu Wamwere said landslides were caused by loose soil on hilly areas because residents cut trees and uprooted their stumps.
"It's very rare for landslides to be witnessed in this area. I am urging people to avoid cutting down trees on hilly areas to avoid landslides," he said.
Nyutu spoke on Saturday when he supervised earth movers clearing a road that had been covered by soil following a landslide.
The Kimende-Escarpment road was closed by a landslide, making it impossible for pedestrians, motorists and motorcyclists to pass.
"We have never seen this before. We heard it and suspected it was trees falling, but it was in the morning when we learned of the danger near our homes. We thank God for saving us, otherwise we would have died," said Joram Mwaniki, a Matathia resident.
Local musician Charles Manji appealed to residents to support the affected families with food as they were accommodated by other residents at their homes, even as government campaigns for social distancing as a strategy to avoid contracting the deadly coronavirus disease.
Gitithia resident Phillip Ndund'u said mud was washed to his house on Friday night and broke his wooden house and blocked the door.
"We were lucky to be alive. The mud was brought in from my neighbour's farm, which is on a hill. I only heard a loud bang on the house," he said.
"I woke up very quickly but I and my family of four could not walk out and we called our neighbours to help us out."
Ndung'u said he moved to his brother's vacant house, saying he would go back to his house when the rain subsides.
Edited by Henry Makori
