Transport along the London-Kabarak highway in Nakuru County was temporarily disrupted on Wednesday morning after a huge sinkhole emerged.
The sinkhole, which formed moments after a heavy downpour in the area, sparked fear among motorists forced to seek alternative routes after the local authorities barricaded the road.
Videos seen by Kenyans.co.ke showed a stream of water continuously flowing inside the large sinkhole, which had formed beside the road linking to the Nakuru-Eldoret highway.
Similarly, some residents were recorded gathered around the hole even as traffic marshals diverted motorists who attempted to use the section of the road.
While some witnesses attributed the sinkhole to the ongoing heavy rains across the country, the exact cause of the land cavity is yet to be established.
However, according to geologists, Nakuru, which lies on the Great Rift Valley, sits on unstable soils, thus frequently experiencing landslides and sinkholes.
Scientists also believe that below the Great Rift Valley are loose ash and sand that can be easily washed away by floodwaters, particularly during rainy seasons.
Nakuru's sandy soil composition, which rarely retains water, could also contribute to the frequent sinkholes, which sometimes lead to the formation of long trenches that lead to landslides.
The sinkhole along the busy highway adds to the number of similar incidents, which remain a mysterious phenomenon for communities living within the region.
For instance, in September last year, one person succumbed after a sinkhole formed near the Nakuru-Nairobi highway following heavy downpour in the area.
According to witnesses who spoke to the press, the male victim was swept away by the raging waters after he slipped into one of the sinkholes.
Following the incident, residents living within the affected areas were urged by the county government to relocate and move to safer regions, with local authorities calling to intervene and construct water pathways.
