Twenty feared dead in Kenya landslides

NAIROBI, Aug 11 (Reuters) Up to 20 people are feared dead following landslides in western Kenya, aid agency Kenya Red Cross said today.

Red Cross spokesman Tony Mwangi said rescue operations were under way to recover those buried by a mudslide that struck sleeping villagers at 4 a.m. today, and a second at 11am that swept away others attempting to rescue them.

''Twenty six people have been injured, 16 to 20 more have been buried, houses have been swept away,'' Mwangi told Reuters, adding that no deaths had yet been confirmed.

Earlier in the day, local television station NTV quoted witnesses as saying they had retrieved four bodies.

Kenya's National Disaster Operation Centre said they could not be sure what triggered the landslide in the rainy region of Kakamega, but said they were not common.

The Red Cross has evacuated families from the area as rescue efforts continue.

''We are fearful that rescue operations are under threat from more mudslides,'' Mwangi said.

REUTERS RSA HT2300