Kericho (IANS). At least 45 people were killed and several others injured in a road accident on a busy highway in western Kenya. Rift Valley Regional Police Commander Tom Odero said on Friday that the accident occurred at 6:30 p.m. In Kericho County, the driver of a truck lost control and rammed into pedestrians, hawkers and some vehicles parked on the side of the road.
“We have about 45 bodies and the death toll could rise,” Odero told Xinhua by phone. He said many people were still trapped inside the vehicles and under the truck.
“Rescue efforts have been slowed down by heavy rain at the scene,” Odero said.
The truck was headed towards the city of Kericho, Xinhua news agency reported. It went down the road on the Nakuru-Kericho Highway.
According to the National Transport and Safety Authority, an estimated 3,000 people die in road accidents in Kenya each year, despite concerted efforts by the state and the private sector to promote safety on highways.
