Landslides displace more families

More families were rendered homeless at a village in Mathira following landslides caused by heavy rains.

Three families at Itiati village moved to a safer location after their houses caved in and others were submerged in water as the rains continued to wreak havoc.

This brings to seven the number of houses destroyed in the second day of heavy rains in the area.

The incident comes a day after DC Galgalo Hidi directed more than 100 villagers to move to higher ground after four houses were swept away at dawn on Sunday.

Mr Hidi has warned the residents not to spend nights in the houses that are still standing saying the rains were expected to continue.

Most of those affected have built on foot hills and steep grounds.

Following Monday’s rains, a trail of destruction was evident as the moving earth swept away crops and houses.

Families are now appealing to the government to intervene and provide shelter and food.

Ms Jane Gathoni, whose house and banana plantation were swept away, said she heard a huge bang at night but did not get out of the house to check what was happening.

It was only after she woke up in the morning that she realised her homestead had been covered in water and part of her house had sunk.

Another resident, Mr Jackson Kavuitu, said he would be forced to build another house after the current one was flooded.

He said the structure had cost him over Sh100,000. The residents said the last time such destruction was witnessed was in 1961.

At the same time, two more bodies were on Monday recovered from the Marakwet landslide as Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Higher Education minister William Ruto visited the area.

The two bodies found on Monday brought the death toll to 11 after one of other eight survivors receiving specialised treatment at Eldoret’s Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital succumbed to head injuries.

A total of 13 people are believed to have perished in the Friday morning tragedy that befell Kitony village after River Smer changed its course sweeping away 12 homes in the village

The PM arrived there moments after Mr Ruto left. The ministry of Special Programmes gave 300 bags of maize, 80 bags of beans, 100 cartons of cooking fat 300 blankets and 150 tents to the victims.

Additional reporting by Philemon Suter