Bus full of choir singers swept away in flood killing at least 20
It was on its way to a wedding.
A bus carrying members of a choir was swept away as it tried to drive through floodwaters in Kenya.
More than 20 people drowned in the incident as dozens on board frantically tried to scramble out of the bus while it was quickly submerged in the muddy waters.
The yellow school bus had been hired to take the church choir to a wedding ceremony on Saturday, when it encountered a flooded road with rapidly-flowing water.
It attempted to cross with people on the other side of the river acting as a guide.
But, when it had reached about three-quarters of the way, the whole bus tipped onto its side, and rapidly began to sink.
In a matter of seconds, most of the bus was submerged – as both passengers and passers-by could be heard shrieking for help, and people rushed to try to get more people out.
Ten passengers were rescued from the bus – but divers have so far recovered the bodies of 23 people who drowned, with the death toll expected to be higher still.
The incident took place along the Enziu River, around 125 miles east of the Kenyan capital of Nairobi.
Charity Ngilu, governor of Kitui County, where the incident happened, said: ‘We have had this terrible, terrible accident that happened here on Saturday morning.
‘The bodies that have already been retrieved right now are over 23. We have more bodies in the bus.’
Deputy President William Ruto was among those to extend his condolences, and also urged motorists to take extra caution on the roads, with many parts of Kenya experiencing heavy rain.
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