Kiambu landslide: 32 families evacuated to safer grounds

Thirty two families have been evacuated from their homes at Matathia village in Lari constituency in Kiambu, following landslides.

The two landslides which occured on Tuesday evening, blocked 2kms of the Matathia Kimende road and trapped two people who were walking.

It occurred after a heavy rainfall in the area.

Governor Kimani Wamatangi on Thursday said the families were moved to safer grounds so that they may not be affected by another landslide.

He said the village is sloppy asking residents to be careful during the rainy season.

While distributing foodstuff and bedding to the families at Kimende town, the governor asked residents to avoid the section of the road since it was slippery with mud and flowing water.

"These families need our support. It is important to be alert during the rainy season. We do not want to lose anyone through a landslide, we want everyone to be safe" the governor said.

An eye witness Joseph Nguru said they were walking home on Tuesday night, when the landslide occurred.

"There were two people who were walking in front of us and the landslide happened, we started running backwards" he said. 

"The  two did not follow us, we do not know where they went. We suspect they must have been buried alive. The problem is, since the soils were muddy with water flowing, we suspect they have been pushed by the flowing mud."

Area Member of Parliament Mburu Kahangara said the search of bodies will be happening during the day but not at night.

He said the area is slippery and very dark at night, and that it was tricky and risky to search at night.

The legislator said no body had been discovered since Tuesday, adding that the search would continue until the whole area is cross checked.

"We shall check the whole area so as to ensure everything that was buried is seen," he said.

The search is being led by fire fighters from Kiambu, Red Cross, St John Ambulance, police, National Youth Service and the administration department.

Area deputy county commissioner Samuel Kariuki with area chiefs and assistant chiefs has been moving from house to house to ensure that they are safe.

Kariuki said they have been helping residents in risky areas to move out of their houses.

The DCC added however, urged families living is better areas to accommodate their family members living in risky regions.

"We have spent two days without going home with my chiefs here. We have moved all the people from risky regions to safer grounds in Kimende town," he said.