NAIROBI, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- At least 13 people died, more than 10 were blinded, and several others were hospitalized after consuming illicit brews in Kenya's central county of Kirinyaga, government officials confirmed Wednesday.
Central Regional Commissioner Fredrick Shisia said the tragedy happened after the victims consumed the drink at a local bar Monday night.
In the early hours of Tuesday morning, however, the victims began complaining of stomach pains and vomiting. Six of the victims died at home Tuesday while seven more died in hospitals Wednesday.
Shisia said more than ten others were blinded after consuming the brews, noting that angry Kangai villagers raided and torched the bar linked to the deaths Wednesday.
The regional administrator said residents stormed the bar, owned by a local tycoon, at dawn and destroyed property before setting it ablaze.
The contents of the brews have yet to be determined, but Shisia said security teams were on the ground to deal with the crisis.
The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) said it was alarmed by the deaths and loss of eyesight among people who reportedly consumed the suspected alcoholic drinks.
"NACADA wishes to caution the public on the rising cases of illicit alcohol-related deaths and illnesses, and urges the public to avoid consumption of alcohol whose quality cannot be verified," NACADA Chief Executive Officer Anthony Omerikwa said in a statement issued in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi.
In the past, several people across the country lost their lives after consuming illicit brews, which are popular among revelers because they are cheap and extremely strong. ■