NAIROBI – Heavy rains and resulting landslides have left at least 18 people dead and more than 60 missing across Kenya, the National Police Service reported on Monday, as a devastating wet season continues to batter East Africa’s largest economy.
The relentless downpours, which intensified in late April, have now affected 39 of Kenya’s 47 counties.
Beyond the immediate loss of life, the floods have displaced thousands and caused significant agricultural damage, destroying approximately 8,100 hectares (20,000 acres) of crops.
“Recent reports indicate that mudslides have occurred in Tharaka Nithi, Elgeyo-Marakwet, and Kiambu counties, severely affecting multiple families and causing significant damage to property,” the National Police Service said in a statement.
Infrastructure across the country has reached a breaking point. In the Tana River region, major waterways have burst their banks, submerged villages, and cut off vital supply routes.
Humanitarian agencies warn that nearly 55,000 households have been impacted, with 34 schools forced to close just as the academic term was set to gather momentum.
The crisis poses a severe challenge to President William Ruto’s administration, which is simultaneously navigating a high-stakes diplomatic mission in Tanzania. While the government has mobilized emergency response teams, the scale of the displacement has overwhelmed local resources.
Critics and environmentalists point to the increasing frequency of extreme weather events in the Horn of Africa as a clarion call for more robust climate adaptation and urban planning.
As search and rescue operations continue in the mudslide-hit highlands, meteorologists warn that the rains are expected to persist through the week, raising fears that the death toll may rise as communication with remote, cut-off villages is restored.
