GARISSA, Kenya, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Fifty-one people narrowly escaped death after a bus they were traveling in was swept away by raging floods along the Nairobi-Garissa highway on Monday night, the police said on Tuesday.
Tana River County Police Commander Ali Ndiema said 49 passengers, a driver and the bus conductor on board the Umma Express bus were traveling from Garissa in eastern Kenya to the capital city of Nairobi at 11:30 p.m. (2030 GMT) when the bus was swept away by floods in the Lager Areli area.
Ndiema said the driver of the bus dared to cross the flooded section against the advice of other drivers and passengers before it was overwhelmed and swept to the side of the road by the heavy waters. Some of the passengers jumped off the bus unhurt after it was stuck in the water while others remained on the rooftop of the bus waiting to be rescued.
A team from the military and the Kenya Red Cross Society, a charity organization, rushed to the rescue of those trapped. The KRCS said in its latest update that efforts have now shifted to rescuing commuters who are stranded after the road was cut off at Tulla Bridge.
"Now that everyone on the bus has been saved, the sick, elderly and women were taken care of first," the charity said.
The incident occurred following heavy downpours that have pounded many parts of Kenya recently, including in some drought-hit regions in northeast Kenya where domestic and wild animals have died due to a lack of pasture.
The police have called on drivers plying the Garissa-Nairobi route to be alert and avoid driving on flooded sections to avoid endangering their passengers. The Kenya National Highways Authority on Tuesday issued a warning to commuters along the Garissa-Nairobi highway due to flooding in the Mororo area between Madogo and the Tana River Bridge.
The National Transport and Safety Authority has also issued a warning to road users concerning the potentially hazardous conditions brought about by heavy rains across the country. It has emphasized the need for increased caution, urging the public to be extra-vigilant, courteous and mindful of safety measures.
The weather service has issued a warning of heavy rains in most areas in the upcoming months, indicating a likelihood of widespread flooding. ■