NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — A significant landslide in western Kenya has tragically raised the death toll to 26 after four additional bodies were discovered on Sunday. This unfortunate event led to the suspension of rescue operations as a result of a flash flood that hindered access to the affected area.

The Interior Minister of Kenya, Kipchumba Murkomen, disclosed that 25 individuals are still unaccounted for. He emphasized that the government is intensifying search efforts, with the military deploying four aircraft to aid rescue teams in reaching the region that is now completely inaccessible due to the destruction of roads caused by the landslide on Saturday.

Rescue teams were forced to abandon their operations on Sunday due to flash floods originating from a nearby hill in the Chesongoch area, located in Kenya's Rift Valley region. The continued heavy rains across the nation have exacerbated the situation, resulting in floods across multiple counties and displacing thousands of residents.

In response to the increasing danger, the government has urged individuals residing in areas prone to floods or landslides to evacuate, as the adverse weather conditions are expected to persist. Murkomen stated that the government would ensure the delivery of essential supplies to those impacted, including airlifting resources to 15 schools that have been cut off, as well as ensuring that ongoing national examination papers reach the students.

Furthermore, he announced that the Kenyan government would cover the medical expenses for more than 30 injured individuals and would assist in resettling numerous others whose homes have been destroyed. “It is very sad that families have lost five to six immediate family members,” Murkomen conveyed to the media on Sunday.

Oscar Okum, the regional manager for the Kenya Red Cross, expressed concerns regarding the persistent risk of landslides in the Rift Valley area. He stated, “Today, while we were doing search and recovery and rescue, we have had roads that are already opened being populated again by mudslides. It’s still an active incident, and we urge the community members to move to safer grounds for their safety, lives, and livelihoods.”

This tragic incident not only sheds light on the devastating impact of natural disasters in the region but also underscores the urgency for improved disaster management and infrastructure to protect vulnerable communities in the future.