ITEN, KENYA – The death toll from a devastating landslide in Chesongoch village, Elgeyo-Marakwet County, has climbed to 26 as of Sunday, November 2, 2025, with another landslide reported at midnight, further complicating a desperate search for survivors. The initial incident occurred around 2:00 AM EAT on Saturday, November 1, 2025, following days of intense rainfall that saturated the hilly terrain of the Kerio Valley.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen confirmed the updated fatality count on Sunday, stating that 25 people remain missing. The government has pledged to cover all hospital and funeral expenses for the victims and assist affected families in rebuilding their lives. Rescue efforts, a multi-agency operation involving the Kenya Red Cross, military, and police, have been severely hampered by the treacherous conditions. Roads and bridges have been washed away, isolating the remote village and forcing the use of helicopters to airlift the injured and deliver aid. On Sunday, rescue teams had to temporarily suspend their search after fresh flash floods cascaded down a nearby hill, underscoring the ongoing danger.

A Region on High Alert

The Kenya Meteorological Department had issued warnings of heavy rainfall for the Rift Valley region in its forecast published on Monday, October 27, 2025. The department predicted that counties including Elgeyo-Marakwet would experience afternoon showers and thunderstorms, with the potential for isolated heavy rainfall events. This forecast proved tragically accurate, as the deluge triggered the deadly mudslides that buried homes while families slept. Eyewitnesses reported hearing a deafening roar just after midnight before the earth gave way, sweeping away homes, livestock, and livelihoods in a torrent of mud and debris.

The Kenya Red Cross has been at the forefront of the humanitarian response, deploying drones to survey the extensive damage and locate survivors in inaccessible areas. Oscar Okum, a regional manager for the aid organization, noted the continued risk, stating, "Today, while we were doing search and recovery and rescue, we have had roads that are already opened being populated again by mudslides. So it's still an active incidence and we urge the community members to move to safer grounds." More than 30 injured individuals have been airlifted to hospitals in Eldoret for specialized treatment.

Systemic Vulnerability and Government Response

This is not the first time Elgeyo-Marakwet has suffered such a catastrophe. The region's steep escarpments are notoriously prone to landslides, with significant events recorded in 2010, 2012, and 2020. In April 2020, heavy rains also resulted in 26 fatalities in the same area. CS Murkomen acknowledged the recurring nature of the problem, attributing it to widespread deforestation and unsustainable farming practices on the escarpment. The government has urged residents in high-risk zones to evacuate immediately as the rains are expected to continue.

In response to the disaster, the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) announced on Sunday, November 2, the closure of the Kapyego-Chesoi-Kilangata road, which has been rendered impassable. The government has also assured that the ongoing Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations will not be disrupted, with plans in place to airlift exam papers to the 15 affected schools that have been cut off. Elgeyo-Marakwet Governor Wisley Rotich confirmed that the county government is coordinating with national agencies to facilitate the relocation of vulnerable residents.

The tragedy in Chesongoch serves as a grim reminder of the severe impact of climate change and environmental degradation on Kenyan communities. As rescue teams continue their grim work against a backdrop of persistent rain, the focus for national and county authorities is twofold: managing the immediate crisis and implementing long-term strategies to mitigate the recurrent risk of deadly landslides in the Kerio Valley and other vulnerable regions across the country.