Six people have been confirmed dead and scores of others seriously injured in a road accident at Nyakwere trading centre in Nyakach Sub-county early today.
Western Kenya Red Cross Society Coordinator Emmanuel Owako said the Nissan matatu travelling from Homa Bay to Kisumu had a tyre burst, and rolled several times, before landing in a ditch.
“Eye witnesses reported hearing a loud bang as a result of the tyre burst before the vehicle was seen rolling,” he said.
Owako said most of the injured were students from various schools who were heading back to school.
“It is sad that some of the injured and the dead were students who were returning back to school after schools were re-opened,” he said.
He said those injured were rushed to Pap Onditi sub-county hospital, before some were transferred to Nyanza Referral Hospital in Kisumu.
Owako said they dispatched an ambulance to transfer those critically injured for specialized treatment in the lakeside town.
According to Owako, the condition of other passengers, who were not critically injured, is stable, noting that they are under observation.