Emergency Rescue Efforts as Bus Swept Away by Floods in Northern Kenya

CNTLIVE AUDIO

Emergency Rescue Efforts as Bus Swept Away by Floods in Northern Kenya

Play Episode Pause Episode

Mute/Unmute Episode Rewind 10 Seconds 1x Fast Forward 30 seconds

00:00 / 2:23

Acast YouTube

RSS Feed

Share

Link

Embed

In a dramatic turn of events, emergency services launched a daring rescue mission to save passengers trapped in a bus swept away by floods on a bustling highway in northern Kenya. The bus, carrying approximately 50 passengers en route from northern Wajir county to the capital, Nairobi, found itself in peril when the driver attempted to navigate a flooded section of the road.

The ill-fated decision led the bus to become entrenched in mud amidst surging waters, rendering it immobile. In a nearly 10-hour-long ordeal, emergency responders battled the elements to extract stranded passengers, some of whom sought refuge on the bus’s roof, while others managed to escape through windows.

“All passengers aboard the bus have now been rescued,” announced the Kenya Red Cross, acknowledging the arduous task of saving lives amidst the onslaught of nature’s fury.

The incident unfolded in the early hours of Tuesday amid incessant rains that inundated the Garissa-Nairobi Highway, transforming it into a treacherous waterway. Videos circulating on social media captured the bus, owned by Umma Express, succumbing to the deluge in the Lager Areli area near Tulla village in Tana River county.

Ali Ndiema, the regional police chief, condemned the reckless actions of the driver, emphasizing the gravity of endangering over 50 lives. He underscored that such negligence constitutes a punishable offense under the law.

The Kenya Red Cross, in collaboration with local community members, mobilized resources to reach the stranded passengers. Even as rescue efforts persisted, with two boats deployed to aid other commuters stranded along the impassable road, the nation grappled with the aftermath of heavy rains forecasted to persist.

The harrowing incident serves as a poignant reminder of the perils posed by natural disasters and the crucial role of preparedness and swift response in mitigating their impact. As Kenya confronts the challenges posed by ongoing rainfall, efforts to bolster infrastructure resilience and enhance emergency response mechanisms become increasingly imperative.