The Ministry of Interior has deployed a multi-agency response team following widespread destruction caused by heavy rains and landslides across Kenya. In a statement issued on Saturday, November 1, the ministry announced that the team would include National Government Administration Officers (NGAOs), the National Police Service (NPS), the Kenya Red Cross, and other relevant ministries to coordinate rescue, surveillance, and humanitarian operations.
Kenyans have been urged to avoid flooded roads, swollen rivers, and low-lying areas prone to landslides. The ministry further advised the public to follow official updates from the Kenya Meteorological Department and County Disaster Units to stay safe during this period.
The alert follows a tragic landslide in Chesongoch, Elgeyo Marakwet County, which claimed 13 lives on Saturday morning after days of relentless rainfall. Images from the area show houses buried in mud, with others leaning precariously as rescue efforts continue. Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen confirmed that the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), police, and Red Cross teams have been dispatched to assist with evacuations and medical aid.
So far, 19 survivors have been rescued, and several others are receiving treatment at Chesongoch Mission Hospital. However, ongoing mudslides have blocked critical access roads, including the Kapsowar-Chesoi route, complicating rescue operations.
Elsewhere, in Kisumu West Sub-county, a 15-year-old boy drowned in River Obonyo after being swept away by floods. In Tana River County, floods have submerged 67 households, resulting in the deaths of over 170 animals, while Garissa County has reported the loss of 300 goats.
In Kisumu, Laikipia, and Mombasa counties, hundreds of families have been displaced following overflowing dams and poor drainage systems. The ongoing October-November-December (OND) short rains are expected to continue, with authorities urging citizens to remain vigilant and cooperate with emergency response teams.
