Twenty six people are now known to have died, with another 25 still missing, after a landslide hit the village of Moror in Elgeyo-Marakwet County in western Kenya on Saturday 1 November 2025. A further 30 people have been airlifted to hospital in the city of Eldorat, about 100 km to the southwest. The event happened following days of heavy rain associated with the area's Short Rainy Season, which typically lasts from mid-October till the end of December. Landslides are a common problem after severe weather events, as excess pore water pressure can overcome cohesion in soil and sediments, allowing them to flow like liquids. Approximately 90% of all landslides are caused by heavy rainfall.
Efforts to search for survivors have been hampered by ongoing heavy rains, with the Kenyan Red Cross reporting that flooding in the area is impeding attempts to reach the area. Kenya typically has two rainy seasons, with the Long Rains, between March and May, often leading to flooding and landslide events, while the Short Rains, between October and December, are typically milder. However, this year's Short Rains have been particularly heavy, leading to a string of landslide and flooding events in Kenya and neighbouring countries. These rising rain levels are linked to the warming of the Indian Ocean, as the global climate warms, which leads to greater levels of evaporation from the sea, followed by increased precipitation on land.
Upland areas of Kenya have always been prone to landslides, but the problem has become worse in recent years as a rising population has led to more agriculture on hill-slopes, in many areas replacing open woodland where tree roots served to stabilise slopes, and also to more people living in harms ways.
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