- Tension is rising in Nakuru after fresh sinkholes and fissures opened up in Nakuru West, sparking fear among residents
- Videos circulating online showed crowds milling around a massive sinkhole slowly filling with rainwater, a chilling reminder of the region’s vulnerability
- Sinkholes and fissures are a recurring nightmare in Nakuru, a town perched on some of Africa’s most unstable ground within the Great Rift Valley
A quiet morning in Nakuru West turned eerie on Wednesday as fresh sinkholes and gaping fissures emerged, swallowing up patches of land and sending shockwaves of fear through the community.
Curious locals, armed with smartphones, flocked to the largest sinkhole, watching as it filled with rainwater—a haunting spectacle against the backdrop of overcast skies.
For the residents of Nakuru, this unsettling event was a bitter reminder of the land’s volatile nature.
In May, the earth cracked wide open after relentless rains, forcing over 500 families in Kaptembwa to flee as their homes crumbled.
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One landlord, now a symbol of the disaster’s devastation, recounted the nightmare of losing 16 houses in a single night.
Geologists have long pointed to Nakuru’s perilous location within the Great Rift Valley—a scar across Africa formed by ancient volcanic activity.
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Underneath the town’s streets and homes lies a fragile foundation of pumice and loose sand, remnants of past eruptions.
Dr. Clement Lenashuru, a leading expert on the region’s natural hazards, notes that the fault lines hidden beneath Nakuru’s surface vary unpredictably, making the area especially prone to these dramatic shifts.
“Water seeps through the soil, washing it away like grains of sugar, and the earth gives way,” he explained.
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Nakuru’s sandy soil, incapable of holding water, exacerbates the problem, creating a perfect storm for fissures and sinkholes whenever the rains come.
Years of warnings have done little to quell the feverish pace of development, despite studies identifying vulnerable areas like Shabab, London, and Kaptembwa in Nakuru West, along with parts of Gilgil and Suswa.
