Kenya mudslides thought to have killed 20 people

NAIROBI, Aug 12 (Reuters) Rescue workers have little chance of finding survivors among up to 20 people buried by landslides in western Kenya, Kenya's Red Cross said today.

Two mudslides yesterday destroyed homes and injured 39 people, Red Cross spokesman Tony Mwangi said. One body had been retrieved so far, he said.

''The chances of a survivor emerging is basically nil. We are expecting the number of missing to become the death toll,'' Mwangi told Reuters.

Mwangi said between 16 and 20 people were buried and rescue workers were trying to dig them out carefully.

The first mudslide struck sleeping villagers before dawn yesterday and a second swept away others attempting to rescue them.

Mudslides in western Kenya's Kakamega district are almost unheard of, Mwangi said.

''This disaster was one of a kind. No one could have predicted it,'' he said.

Reuters JT RS1740