28 die in mudslides, situation critical – Tolgos
Twenty-eight people died in mudslides and floods in Elgeyo Marakwet county, Governor Alex Tolgos said on Thursday.
Neighbouring West Pokot and other counties were also severely affected and the toll of the dead and injured is yet to be established.
Tolgos said in Eldoret the death toll in his county and West Pokot was quite high and only four bodies had been recovered in five days.
He spoke after a meeting of North Rift Economic Bloc (Noreb) governors to discuss the flooding problem in the region.
“We have also been recovering many body parts from the affected areas and the figure 28 is just for my county. If we tally with the exact figures yet to be established in West Pokot, then it's evident we have lost so many lives in that tragedy," Tolgos said.
The mudslides on Tuesday swept through several villages along the border between the two counties and flattened the entire Chesogon market centre, where many people were killed, including two police officers.
Tolgos said the situation in the region was still critical and many families were camping at Sambalat and Wewa primary schools. The national government, neighbouring counties and well-wishers made donations to the affected communities.
“We still urgently require assistance for families in the area where our measures to fight Covid-19 have been affected," Tolgos said. He said Kitui county had pledged to send face masks to displaced families.
The governor said the long-term solution to the problem was to resettle families and others living on risky escarpments, so they will be safe from the recurrent landslides in the region.
Council of Governors chairman Wycliffe Oparanya expressed condolences to families who lost relatives in the region. He said he prayed for the quick recovery of the injured.
The CoG appealed to donors and Kenyans of goodwill to provide food, shelter and other support.
County governments have set up a fund to which every county will contribute Sh200,000. Donations can be sent through the CoG Secretariat.
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