This archive report was first published on 22 April 2020.
On April 22, 2020, a devastating mudslide occurred in the Elgeyo Marakwet-West Pokot border, leaving a trail of destruction and loss of life.
A multi-agency team has been working tirelessly to rescue and recover those affected by the tragedy. In a recent update, the team has recovered three more bodies, bringing the total number of bodies recovered to 15.
Among the recovered bodies is that of a woman and a foetus. The Kenya Defence Forces and the Kenya Red Cross have joined the search efforts for the 20 people who are still missing.
Due to the state of the bodies, DNA testing will be conducted to identify them before they are released to their relatives for burial.
Regional Commissioner George Natembeya expressed his appreciation to the locals for their support in the recovery and rescue mission. He also announced that the distribution of food and other essential goods provided by the Government will commence immediately, but will be vetted to ensure that only victims of the mudslide are beneficiaries.
One of the bodies recovered had been swept 20 km downstream by the raging waters, highlighting the challenges faced by the rescue team.
