At least 15 people have died and 30 are reported missing following a landslide in the Marakwet East sub-county of Kenya. This was announced by Kenyan Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen in a social media statement on November 1.
"We have managed to evacuate 25 casualties for further medical attention. Unfortunately, 15 people have lost their lives in this tragedy, and 30 are still missing," the statement read.
The landslide occurred in the western part of the country during the night of November 1. The incident affected residents of three administrative wards within the Marakwet East sub-county. According to the minister, the government has deployed police and military helicopters with medical personnel and Red Cross staff to participate in search and rescue operations at the scene and to provide assistance to the victims.
"I would like to express my deepest condolences to the families who have lost loved ones in this tragedy and wish a speedy recovery to all those affected. An interagency team, comprising the military, police, local administration officials, county government, and humanitarian organizations, continues with search and rescue efforts. We have relocated households at risk of landslides to safer grounds," Murkomen wrote.
In a related incident in October, at least nine people died and several others were reported missing following landslides in eastern Uganda triggered by heavy rains.
Maria Safonova
