3 more bodies recovered, 20 still missing

The multi agency team conducting the rescue and recovery mission has recovered three more bodies bringing to 15 the bodies so far recovered following the Chesogon mudslide tragedy in the ElgeyoMarakwet-West Pokot border.

The Rift Valley Regional Commissioner George Natembeya says among those recovered is the body of a woman and a foetus.

Addressing the press Natembeya said the Kenya Defence Forces and the Kenya Red Cross had joined in the search for the 20 people who are still missing.

He said due to the state of the bodies, a DNA will have to be conducted to identify them before they are released to their relatives for burial.

Natembeya however said the team was studying the situation to see if there was any hope of finding more bodies so that they can make a final determination to call off the search mission by Wednesday.

The administrator said the rescue mission remains a challenge due to the heavy rainfall witnessed in the area raging resulting into floods.

“One of the bodies we recovered had been swept 20 km downstream by the raging waters,” said Natembeya.

He expressed his appreciation to the locals for according his team a lot of support in the recovery and rescue mission since it began on Sunday.

Natembeya said he had received reports that the fourth year Moi university student who was rescued yesterday after staying in the water for two days was recovering at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital Eldoret.

He said distribution of food and other essential goods provide by the Government will commence immediately but clarified that they will first vet the beneficiaries to ensure that only victims of the mudslide are beneficiaries.