Two feared dead as mudslides sweep through Elgeyo Marakwet

Several people are feared dead following heavy mudslides that swept away some homes in parts of Elgeyo Marakwet county.

The mudslides mostly affected the Korou Sub-Location in where at least two people were confirmed dead in Kakibigen and Morror areas.

Heavy rainfall has been pounding the region, causing the mudslides last night.

Rescue teams, including those from the Red Cross and the county government, along with the police, are moving to the area to assist residents.

"A landslide following heavy overnight rains has hit Moror Village and Chesongoch Centre, Elgeyo Marakwet County, leaving many people injured," Kenya Red Cross said.

"Our response team has been activated to respond, assess the situation and support those affected."

Residents said they feared that other people were trapped in the mudslide.

Elgeyo Marakwet governor Wisley Rotich has asked residents to move from areas that are prone to mudslides along the escarpments in the region.

“We have dispatched our teams and are working with other agencies to ensure residents are safe," said Rotich.

Most rivers in the region, including Embobut and Endo rivers, have burst their banks, causing flooding in the area where roads have also been extensively damaged.

Senior police officers could not confirm exact details because security teams were working to access affected areas.

Mudslides, also known as mudflows or landslides, are rapid movements of water-saturated soil, rocks, and debris down a slope.

They usually occur on steep hillsides or mountainous areas and can cause significant damage to homes, roads, and infrastructure.

Mudslides happen when the soil becomes unstable and cannot support its own weight.

This can be triggered by heavy or prolonged rainfall that saturates the soil, by loss of vegetation whose roots normally hold the soil in place, by earthquakes or volcanic activity that shake and loosen the ground, or by human activities such as construction, mining, or poor drainage that weaken slopes.

They are most likely to occur during or after heavy rains, during periods of rapid snowmelt when soil becomes saturated quickly, or following natural disasters that destabilise the ground. In essence, mudslides happen when steep, loose, or wet soil loses stability and moves downhill.