Survivors of the devastating landslides that recently tore through the Chesongoch area of Elgeyo Marakwet County have recounted the horrifying ordeal of a disaster that struck under the cover of night, claiming at least 30 lives and leaving 19 others still missing under the rubble.
The victims, now receiving treatment at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH), described a sudden, terrifying event that caught entire families unaware in their deep sleep, underscoring the unexpected violence of the natural catastrophe.
The accounts from those who survived paint a picture of raw fear and overwhelming force. Margaret Kiptoo, who was with her disabled son when the landslide occurred and whose son is among those still missing struggled to narrate her experience of the nocturnal disaster.
She recalled hearing strange sounds, initially dismissing them as nothing more than water flowing down the river. She returned to bed, only for the calm to be shattered instantly: “Then rocks fell on me, and I could not see my child,” she recalled, adding to the terror by describing how, shortly thereafter, her mouth was violently filled with mud and water, a chilling description of the landslide’s immediate and suffocating impact.
Another survivor, Gabriel Yego, an 89-year-old man, emphasized the unprecedented nature of the tragedy. He noted that the disaster found most of the community deeply asleep, stating that such a massive landslide had never been witnessed in the area before.
Yego described the sheer volume of the deluge: “The water was a lot; it swept many people,” he said, indicating the destructive power of the flow that ripped homes and lives away. Other survivors described their terrifying scramble to safety, involving running across rock-filled terrain in a desperate attempt to outpace the rapidly advancing wall of water and debris.
In the wake of the destruction, search and rescue operations are continuing in Chesongoch, complicated significantly by impassable roads and blocked access routes. The government has been compelled to deploy aerial support to facilitate the evacuation of the injured and deliver essential medical aid to the area.
Local leaders, including Uasin Gishu County MP Gladys Boss and former MPs Jackson Kiptanui and Linah Kilimo, have collectively called for the government to implement long-term, sustainable solutions to mitigate the perennial risk of such catastrophes in the region.
The Ministry of Interior has issued a stern caution to the public, warning that heavy rainfall is expected to persist across several regions, a forecast that keeps the risk of floods and further landslides acutely high, particularly in hilly and riverine areas.
A multi-agency response team, comprising the National Government Administration Officers (NGAOs), National Police Service, and the Kenya Red Cross, among others, remains on the ground to coordinate ongoing relief and evacuation efforts in the hope of finding the remaining missing persons.
