This archive report was first published on 24 November 2019.
On Friday night, November 22, 2019, a heavy downpour triggered a massive landslide in West Pokot County, leaving a trail of death and destruction in its wake.
The disaster struck around 11pm, with the first sound of the landslide being a faint, distant rumble. However, the danger was closer than initially thought, and soon the ground beneath the villagers' homes began to shift.
Within five hours, the ground had moved several football fields' worth, and floodwaters stood feet high, resulting in deadly consequences. By the time day broke, almost entire villages had been swept away.
According to County Commissioner Apollo Okello, 37 people were confirmed dead by the evening of November 23, 2019, with many more feared buried in the mud.
Survivors recounted a desperate scene of villagers trying to rescue their loved ones on Friday night, when the landslide hit after hours of heavy downpour. Raphael Pkolowo, a survivor, narrated that his family was buried alive as he tried to rescue them under the cover of darkness.
"Everything was buried under the earth, and when I checked on the neighborhood, houses were also buried. It was shocking. I did not know where to start," Pkolowo said.
Rescue efforts were hindered by heavy rains and inaccessible terrain, with top government officials and local leaders stranded at Sepit trading centre. The destruction was immense, with entire roads cut out, and a once hilly landscape now flat.
Underneath the leveled ground, lay lives snuffed out in the dead of the night. The loss of life in these villages has been immense, and it will take generations to recover from the heartache.
President Uhuru Kenyatta directed the deployment of resources, including rescue personnel, to the affected region to mitigate against further loss of lives. However, the rescue efforts remained rudimentary, with men, women, and children using their hands to dig out friends and family from under the weight of the muddy rubble.
As day broke, hearts became heavier with the news of the death of two babies. Their tiny silhouettes contouring the blanket that was wrapped around them when they went to bed. When it came knocking, death didn't stop. It was relentless.
West Pokot Governor John Lonyangapuo appealed for more help, stating that the situation was getting out of hand, and the road linking Kitale-Lodwar was cut off completely.
