One dead after heavy rains triggered landslide in Murang’a

Scenes of a landslide that hit Gathugu village in Gitugi Ward, Murang’a County, following heavy rainfall./KNA

A middle-aged man has died after a landslide struck his house in the early hours of Thursday following heavy rainfall at Gathugu village in Gitugi sub-location, Murang’a County.

The incident occurred at around 1 a.m. after hours of continuous downpour triggered soil movement that swept through part of the village, burying the man who was asleep inside his home.

Local residents, together with members of the Murang’a County Disaster Response Committee, rushed to the scene and managed to retrieve the body from the debris after a coordinated rescue operation.

The landslide also destroyed several houses within one homestead and flattened crops, leaving affected families counting significant losses.

Reports indicate that the disaster affected an area stretching nearly one kilometre, causing panic and fear among residents living nearby.

Scenes of a landslide that hit Gathugu village in Gitugi Ward, Murang’a County, following heavy rainfall./KNA

Confirming the incident, Murang’a County Commissioner Hassan Bule said the body of the deceased was recovered through a joint effort involving local residents and emergency response teams.

He added that several homes were partially destroyed, forcing some families to flee as cracks continued to develop on the ground.

“The affected families will be relocated to safer areas and provided with basic necessities as the government continues with assessment of the damage caused,” said Bule.

He urged residents living in landslide-prone areas to temporarily move to safer locations until the heavy rains subside, warning that continued rainfall could trigger further disasters.

The county commissioner said the disaster response committee would conduct further assessments in the affected village to determine risk levels and guide possible relocations.

Bule noted that ongoing rains have caused destruction in several parts of Murang’a County, especially in Mathioya and Kangema sub-counties, where mudslides have damaged property and farms.

He appealed to residents to remain vigilant and report any signs of soil movement, ground cracks or weakened structures to local administrators and disaster management teams.

The tragedy has revived painful memories among Gitugi Ward residents, where seven members of one family died in a similar landslide a year ago following heavy rains.

Residents now fear that continued rainfall could expose more villages to similar disasters unless urgent preventive measures are implemented.

They have called for intensified public sensitisation campaigns in vulnerable areas and long-term interventions to reduce loss of life during rainy seasons.

The locals also appealed to the government to assist affected families in rebuilding homes and restoring destroyed farms.

As rescue and assessment operations continue, families in the affected village are struggling to cope with the tragedy, with many spending the night in fear of further landslides.