Panic in Murang’a as elephants escape from sanctuary

Residents of Kanyenyaini village in Kangema, Murang’a County, on Sunday morning woke up to a major scare after two elephants left their sanctuary at the Aberdares Forest and invaded the village.

Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officers at the scene had a difficult time controlling the multitude of residents who had gathered at the scene in a bid to catch a glimpse of the animals.

The locals were forced to flee for their lives when, at one point, the elephants charged towards them.

The KWS officers on scene were forced to fire in the air to disengage the animals and prevent them from attacking the residents, among them school-going children.

Speaking to the press, a few residents expressed excitement at seeing the animals up close while others were wary of the danger posed by their presence in the area.

Ann Njeri, one such locals, said the two runaway elephants caused a lot of damage to the crops as they wandered through the farms.