20 people die in three days as landslides hit homes and schools

About 20 people have been reported dead in the past three days after they drowned as rains continue to pound the country.

Eight people were swept away by floods in separate incidents in Ongata Rongai, Kajiado County on Thursday night.

Six people drowned as they tried to cross a bridge on River Kandisi along Fatma North Road while two died after their house was marooned by floods. 

A witness, Paul Mwangi said the six were among a group of about 10 people who attempted to cross the bridge that had been submerged. 

“Halfway, they realised the water was too much and got stuck in the middle.” he said.

Ongata Rongai Deputy OCPD Simon Kimuyu said the bodies were recovered and removed to City mortuary.

“We were informed about people stuck midway the bridge as floods raged. Sadly, they were swept before they could be rescued,” he said.

The dead included a mother and her daughter who is a student at Kiserian Secondary School. Their house is located 1km from the bridge.

Clutched on a tree

The officer said two people survived and the search for more bodies is on.

One of the survivors clutched on a tree and was rescued by residents who used a rope to pull him while another was swept to the river bank.

Kajiado North MP Joseph Manje blamed the tragedy on poor construction of the bridge.

In Kirinyaga County, four people drowned.

A father and her child were swept away at about 6pm on Thursday when they attempted to cross a seasonal stream at Kanjinji village, Mwea East. One of the children managed to swim to safety and and alerted residents that his father and sibling had drowned.

Area OCPD Dorothy Gaitenga said the body of unidentified male adult was recovered on the bank of Murubara river.

At Kagio town another body was discovered by a passerby in a clogged culvert. 

Kirinyaga West OCPD Cecily Gatititi said the male body which had no visible injuries appeared to have been flushed halfway into the culvert by flood waters.

At the same time four vehicles were on Thursday night swept off Makutano-Sagana highway after a river burst its banks at Rukanga.

The vehicles included three lorries and a saloon car whose driver Kimani wa Gathoni was able to wade through the raging waters.

In Kisii, a driver and one of his passengers died after they plunged into a river at Nyacheki on yesterday morning.

Nyamache OCPD Augustine Obonyo said four other passengers survived and were treated for minor injuries.

Buried alive

In West Pokot, a six-year-old girl was buried alive and more than 300 people displaced in Kapsangar area West Pokot county after a land slide hit the region.

Eight people were injured, 13 cows buried alive while 46 houses and a school were destroyed.

Kenya Red Cross Society West Pokot county coordinator Carlos Kibet said eight people who were injured are recuperating at Kapenguria referral hospital.

He added that Kaghmuu Primary School was totally destroyed and more than 300 pupils will be forced to stay at home.

“The school has permanent and mud walled class rooms which were totally damaged. It might not be constructed soon because the landslides are unpredictable,” he said.

He pointed out that the displaced families are in dire need of humanitarian aid and have integrated with other members of the community who are in safer places.

West Pokot County police commandant Mathews Kutoh who visited the scene said the landslide had affected several places.

He regretted that the security team was not able to visit all the affected areas as some were impassable.

[Nanjinia Wamuswa, Munene Kamau, Irissheel Shanzu, Edwin Nyarangi?]