40 familes rush to vacate from sinking apartment in Kiambu [Photos]

Residents of a building in Thindigua, Kiambu County, were evacuated on Thusday, April 6 after the building started sinking.

The Kiambu County lands minister Salome Muthoni said she received a call about the sinking building in the morning and immediately involved a multi-sectoral team, including the National Construction Authority (NCA).

Upon arrival at the scene, the team established that the building had started showing signs of sinking about one and a half weeks ago.

Kiambu Lands CECM Salome Muthoni Pulse Live Kenya

The team had a discussion with the developer and the engineer involved in the project, who were cooperative and even provided a statement to the county.

Muthoni said that the building had approvals from the Kiambu County side and that the occupants had been living there for the last ten years.

The building has about 40 units, and approximately 40 families with 200 people were occupying them at the time of the incident.

READ: Husband and wife perish in Ruaka building tragedy

"Our Engineers who are on the ground are investigating to find out why the building is sinking, and we should be able to get a report of what is causing this problem in the next day," said Muthoni.

The county government, together with the developer and other security teams present, decided that all the tenants should vacate the building immediately for their safety.

Over 200 residents vacated the apartment in Kiambu county after the building started sinking Pulse Live Kenya

"For the safety of the tenants, we've reached a decision in conjunction with the developer and the other security teams that are here, that all the tenants should vacate the houses today to prevent any incidences," she added.

The evacuated residents have been advised to seek temporary accommodation as the county government works to resolve the issue.