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Deadly landslides strike Kenya-Uganda border region
At least 40 people have died after a series of landslides hit mountainous areas along the Kenya-Uganda border last week, with rescue teams racing to find dozens still missing as heavy rains raise fears of further disasters.
On the Kenyan side, survivors like 30-year-old Felix Kemboi described losing multiple relatives in Kaptul village. "I lost a grandmother, a maternal aunt, an uncle, two sisters, a family friend, and a cousin," he told the BBC, visibly struggling to articulate the scale of his loss.
Ongoing search efforts amid persistent risks
Search and rescue operations continue on both sides of the border, though authorities warn that more landslides could occur as torrential rains persist. Kenya's Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen urged residents in high-risk zones-particularly the Kerio Valley-to remain vigilant for signs of earth movement. Local officials are relocating vulnerable communities to safer, elevated areas.
In Kenya's Great Rift Valley, landslides claimed the lives of 14 schoolchildren among dozens killed, according to the country's education ministry. Meanwhile, Uganda's Red Cross reports at least 18 fatalities in the eastern districts of Kapchorwa, Bukwo, and Kween, with 20 more still unaccounted for.
Survivors recount harrowing escapes
Helda Narunga Masai, a survivor from Uganda's Kween village, described the terror of the night: "We were asleep when we heard a deafening noise. Neighbors shouted, 'Wake up! The mountain is coming.' My niece and brother didn't make it." Her home was buried under mud, forcing her to take shelter with neighbors.
In nearby Kapchorwa, another mudslide killed three children and a woman from the same household. Rescue teams, equipped with basic tools, are digging through thick mud to recover bodies, said local leader Mande David Kapcheronge.
Long-standing vulnerability and government response
Experts have long cautioned against constructing homes in landslide-prone zones across the region. Uganda's deadliest recorded landslide struck Bududa in 2010, killing around 300 people. This time, the Ugandan government has pledged 5 million shillings ($1,300; £1,000) to bereaved families and 1 million shillings to survivors. Kenya has not yet announced similar compensation.
Recovery efforts in Uganda face additional challenges, as mudslides have severed access to critical roads, delaying search missions. The disaster has reignited calls for stricter land-use regulations in high-risk areas.
"As heavy rainfall continues, the risk of landslides-especially along the Kerio Valley-is heightened."
Kipchumba Murkomen, Kenya's Interior Minister
