Tragedy Strikes: Landslides and Floods Devastate Western Kenya

The death toll from a deadly landslide in western Kenya has surged to 26 after the retrieval of four more bodies on Sunday, right before rescue operations were halted due to a flash flood.

Kenya's Interior Minister, Kipchumba Murkomen, announced 25 individuals are still unaccounted for. The government has escalated search efforts, with the military deploying four aircraft to access the severed area after roads were obliterated in the landslide that struck on Saturday.

On Sunday, search teams were forced to abandon their efforts as flash floods swept through the Chesongoch area in Kenya's Rift Valley. Heavy rains have gripped the nation, triggering floods in numerous counties and displacing thousands.

Citizens residing in flood or landslide-prone zones have been urged to evacuate, with warnings of persistent rains. The government continues to airlift supplies to those affected, notably to 15 isolated schools where examination papers are being airlifted for candidates.

The government pledged to cover medical expenses for over 30 injured individuals and assist in relocating families whose homes were destroyed. Interior Minister Murkomen expressed sorrow at the loss of multiple family members within single kin groups.

Oscar Okum, a regional manager for the Kenya Red Cross, warned that the Rift Valley remains vulnerable to further landslides, emphasizing the need for residents to seek safer grounds. Despite rescue efforts, active mudslides continue to impede relief efforts.