• The landslide led to massive destruction of property including key infrastructure such as roads and bridges.
• The President prayed for a quick recovery and restoration to all those who were injured in the calamitous incident and are receiving treatment.
Image: PSCU
President Uhuru Kenyatta has stated that he has been following with great sadness the ongoing rescue operation in West Pokot County following the devastating landslide that was triggered by the heavy rains that are being experienced in most parts of the country.
The landslide that occurred at 2.30am Saturday morning robbed the country of confirmed 29 dear Kenyans and led to massive destruction of property including key infrastructure such as roads and bridges.
"My thoughts and prayers, and those of our entire nation are with families, friends and relatives of those who lost their beloved ones in the unfortunate incident. Please accept my heartfelt condolences," Uhuru said.
He also prayed for a quick recovery and restoration to all those who were injured in the calamitous incident and are receiving treatment in different hospitals.
"To those whose loved ones are yet to be found, I assure you that the ongoing multi-agency rescue operation will continue until after every missing person is accounted for," he added.
The president has said that he has directed the deployment of resources including rescue personnel from the various security and humanitarian agencies covering the Kenya Defence Forces, the National Police Service and Special Programmes to the affected region so as to provide mitigative action against further loss of lives.
'I have further directed Regional Commissioners in flood and landslide prone regions of our country to work very closely with our security and humanitarian teams to ensure that citizens in these areas are urgently moved to safer grounds."
The operation will continue round the clock until the situation normalizes.
Speaking to Star on Saturday, West Pokot county commander Jackson Tumwet said the area is impassable.
Tumwet said that people living in the area have been asked to move to safe places as there are high chances of more landslides occurring in the area.
The Kitale-Lodwar highway at Ortum market has also been cut off. The county commandant also said the road to the scene has been blocked with stones.
"We are waiting for heavy machines from the ministry to come and remove the stones andopen the road so that we can access the village," he said.