The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) have stepped in to support ongoing rescue efforts in Elgeyo Marakwet County after devastating mudslides struck several villages in the Kerio Valley, claiming the lives of more than 20 people.
The first group of injured victims was airlifted earlier today to the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret for urgent medical attention. According to officials on the ground, three KDF helicopters have been deployed to facilitate the evacuation process, with each flight taking approximately 30 minutes from the affected areas to Eldoret.
The mudslides, triggered by heavy overnight rains, flattened tens of homes in the Embobut area and surrounding villages. Local authorities say that rescue teams are racing against time to locate missing persons who may still be trapped beneath the debris.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has been overseeing the rescue operations and coordinating relief efforts alongside county emergency response teams. “Our priority is to save lives and ensure that the injured receive prompt medical care,” said Murkomen, adding that the government will provide support to displaced families.
Residents have been urged to move to safer grounds as fears of further landslides persist due to ongoing rainfall. The Kenya Red Cross and other humanitarian agencies are also on-site assisting with medical aid, food distribution, and temporary shelter for the affected families.
Authorities have warned that the region remains vulnerable to more mudslides as the long rains continue. Meanwhile, environmental experts have called for long-term mitigation measures, including improved drainage systems and reforestation, to help prevent future disasters in the hilly terrain of Elgeyo Marakwet.
