Key Takeaways
- 21 confirmed dead, 30 missing in western Kenya landslide
- Over 1,000 homes destroyed in Chesongoch area
- 30 seriously injured survivors airlifted to hospital
- Area has history of deadly landslides in 2010 and 2012
A devastating landslide in western Kenya has claimed at least 21 lives with 30 people still missing as rescue operations continue amid heavy rainfall. The tragedy struck the hilly Chesongoch area in Elgeyo Marakwet County on Saturday, November 2, 2025.
More than 1,000 homes were completely destroyed by the massive mudslides that have cut off several roads in the region. Emergency services airlifted 30 survivors with serious injuries to a hospital in Eldoret City for urgent medical treatment.
Eyewitness Account
Local resident Stephen Kittony described the terrifying moment to Citizen Television: “I heard a deafening sound and, together with my children, rushed out of our house and ran in different directions.”
Rescue teams worked through Saturday despite continuing heavy rains, searching through debris for missing individuals. The Chesongoch region has experienced similar tragedies before, with dozens killed in separate landslide incidents in 2010 and 2012. A shopping center was also washed away by floods in 2020.
Government Response
Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen confirmed that the government is working to identify alternative settlement areas for those affected by the disaster. The landslide occurred during Kenya’s short rains season, which has brought persistent heavy rainfall to the region.
