MAKUENI, Kenya — Residents around Nzaui Hill in Makueni County are on high alert after a rock slide triggered by persistent heavy rains sent debris cascading down the hillside, deepening fears of further land instability in an area already battered by weeks of extreme weather.
The incident left a visible trail of broken rocks, uprooted vegetation, and damaged trees along the slope, according to local accounts.
No casualties had been confirmed at the time of reporting, but residents said the situation has intensified anxiety among households living near the steep terrain.
The rock slide is the latest in a series of weather-related disasters affecting Makueni County, where continuous rainfall in March and April 2026 has triggered floods, mudslides, and infrastructure disruptions across multiple wards.
In earlier incidents, landslides in Kitende village in Kilungu ward caused fatalities, including the deaths of two children aged eight and three when a mudslide struck their home.
Authorities have also reported additional deaths linked to flooding since the onset of the rains, underscoring the scale of the unfolding crisis.
By late March, at least 16 people had been confirmed dead in the county as extreme weather conditions intensified, with several families displaced and forced to seek temporary shelter in safer zones.
Road networks have also been severely affected. Flooding along key transport routes and rivers, including the Kikuu River, has disrupted movement, slowed emergency response operations, and isolated some communities during peak rainfall periods.
The Kenya Red Cross Society and county disaster response teams have been active in affected areas, conducting assessments and advising residents in high-risk zones, particularly those living on or below hilly terrain, to relocate temporarily to safer locations.
Officials have previously directed vulnerable households to evacuation points such as St. Theresa Comprehensive School, which has been identified as a safer shelter during peak rainfall events.
The latest rock slide at Nzaui Hill has reinforced warnings from disaster management agencies about the growing risk of slope failure in saturated soils, especially in areas with loose geological formations and limited vegetation cover due to ongoing erosion.
Residents now remain on edge as forecasts continue to indicate more rainfall, raising concerns that additional slope collapses could occur if conditions persist.
County authorities are expected to issue further advisories as monitoring continues across high-risk zones.
