Based on the local media, Kenyan officials on Saturday confirmed that 37 people had died as a result of landslides that hit northwestern county of West Pokot following heavy rainstorm on Friday night.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta sent condolences to the bereaved families in a statement, assuring that every missing person will be accounted for and measures put in place to prevent further loss of life.

Fred Matiang'I, cabinet Secretary for Interior and Coordination of National Government of Kenya said that rescue efforts were ongoing in the villages that were hit by massive landslides.

"Rescue and recovery efforts are being carried out by our security team and humanitarian agencies," said Matiang'i, adding that the government has assigned military and police choppers to improve recovery efforts at the scene.

The death toll from landslides in northwestern Kenya triggered by unusually heavy rains rose to at least 60 on Sunday, according to Kenyan authorities.

Downpours began on Friday in West Pokot county which borders Uganda and worsened overnight causing flooding and mudslides that swept away four bridges and left villages inaccessible by road.

An official from the West Pokot county government said 53 people died, mostly in mudslides. She said seven people were reported missing. The official requested anonymity because she was not authorised to speak to the media.

Officials say another five people were swept away while travelling in a car. Two other people were killed after they drowned when a river burst its banks.

"We have never experienced or encountered tragedies that we saw last night," West Pokot Governor John Krop Lonyangapuo told Al Jazeera.

At night it rained for over 12 hours," he added.

Peter Abwao from the Red Cross told Al Jazeera their teams at one point walked more than four hours to reach some villages in the county.

Rescue personnel were deployed including from the army and police to try and prevent the "further loss of lives", Kenya's president said.

"The national government has said it has sent multiple agents to help with the retrieval efforts, but so far the people we have spoken to have said they have not been able to reach ground because a lot of the bridges have been swept away," said Al Jazeera's Evelyn Kahungu reporting from West Pokot.

"Close to 5,000 families have been displaced by the flash floods", she added - and a "majority of those who died are believed to be buried in the rubble and mudslide".