Five family members were on Thursday morning killed in a dawn landslide in Kighombo, Mwatate subcounty, Taita Taveta county.
Taita Taveta county commissioner Rodha Onyancha said those killed were a man, his wife and their three children.
She said three bodies were recovered at 8am –the father, mother and one child– and the other two at noon.
The landslides were triggered by hours of heavy rains that hit most parts of the county on Wednesday night.
“A multi-agency rescue efforts are ongoing. We have so far retrieved the bodies. Quick operations are being hindered by a heavy downpour, but we hope to finish up and rescue other residents who are in danger of falling victims,” Onyancha told the Star on the phone on Thursday.
A road joining Voi and Kighombo was also cut off by floods, rendering it impassable.
The administrator said a rescue team, led by Red Cross officers, was also considering evacuating other villagers to a safer area.
“We are still assessing the situation and urging everyone to be vigilant because we do not know how long it is going to rain. We don’t want to lose another life,” she added.
Onyancha further warned people living along Voi River to move to safer areas, noting that the river might burst its banks.
“It has rained heavily on the highlands of Rong’e and the water is flowing down most probably towards Voi through Voi River,” she said.
County Red Cross coordinator Jerome Oranga on Thursday afternoon said they are monitoring the situation because Voi River has burst its banks and flooded Msabweni estate. He did not, however, say how many families have been affected.
In December, more than 300 families living along the river were left homeless after their homes were swept away by floods.
