Current:Home > FinanceAt least 51 people killed in road accident in western Kenya, 32 injured, police and Red Cross say -Keystone Capital Education
At least 51 people killed in road accident in western Kenya, 32 injured, police and Red Cross say
View
Date:2025-04-18 13:37:07
A truck rammed into several other vehicles and market traders in western Kenya, killing at least 51 people, police said.
The Friday evening accident occurred at a location known for vehicle crashes near the Rift Valley town of Londiani, which is about 200 kilometers (125 miles) northwest of the capital, Nairobi.
Officers at the scene counted 51 bodies, but more people were believed to be trapped in the wreckage, Rift Valley police commander Tom Odera told The Associated Press.
The Kenya Red Cross Society said on Saturday 32 people were injured and hospitalized, and asked Kenyans to donate blood. It also said heavy rainfall interrupted rescue efforts and people were still trapped in wrecked vehicles.
Transport Minister Kipchumba Murkomen visited the scene on Saturday morning and said the government would relocate markets away from the highways to prevent such future accidents.
President William Ruto tweeted a condolence message to bereaved families describing the accident as "distressing" and urging motorists to be "extra cautious."
Witnesses quoted by local media said the truck veered off the major highway and hit several vehicles before hitting pedestrians and traders. Witnesses shared photos of the vehicle wreckages mangled beyond recognition.
Police had said on Friday rescue operations would continue into the night.
The Kenyan Red Cross Society said they have set up stations at hospitals where people can report loved ones still missing and are providing psychological support to those affected.
- In:
- Kenya
veryGood! (2761)
Related
- The city of Chicago is ordered to pay nearly $80M for a police chase that killed a 10
- North Korea's Kim Jong Un orders military to thoroughly annihilate U.S. if provoked, state media say
- Ashes of Canadian ‘Star Trek’ fan to be sent into space along with those of TV series’ stars
- Peter Magubane, a South African photographer who captured 40 years of apartheid, dies at age 91
- Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow owns a $3 million Batmobile Tumbler
- Access to busy NYC airport’s international terminal restricted due to pro-Palestinian protest
- Michigan vs. Alabama Rose Bowl highlights, score: Wolverines down Alabama in OT thriller
- Basdeo Panday, Trinidad and Tobago’s first prime minister of Indian descent, dies
- Are Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp down? Meta says most issues resolved after outages
- A driver fleeing New York City police speeds onto a sidewalk and injures 7 pedestrians
Ranking
- A Mississippi company is sentenced for mislabeling cheap seafood as premium local fish
- Basdeo Panday, Trinidad and Tobago’s first prime minister of Indian descent, dies
- After a grueling 2023, here are four predictions for media in 2024
- What's open New Year's Day 2024? Details on Walmart, Starbucks, restaurants, stores
- 'Kraven the Hunter' spoilers! Let's dig into that twisty ending, supervillain reveal
- Horoscopes Today, December 31, 2023
- Are Kroger, Publix, Whole Foods open New Year's Day 2024? See grocery store holiday hours
- NJ mayor says buses of migrants bound for NY are being dropped off at NJ train stations
Recommendation
Federal Spending Freeze Could Have Widespread Impact on Environment, Emergency Management
Chad appoints a former opposition leader as prime minister of transitional government
4 dead, 2 in critical condition after Michigan house explosion
Nadal returns with a win in Brisbane in first competitive singles match in a year
Newly elected West Virginia lawmaker arrested and accused of making terroristic threats
Klee Benally, Navajo advocate for Indigenous people and environmental causes, dies in Phoenix
Rose Bowl expert predictions as Alabama and Michigan meet in College Football Playoff
Hong Kong activist publisher Jimmy Lai pleads not guilty to sedition and collusion charges