Ongoing operation to recover bodies of seven victims who were swept away by flash floods in Hell’s Gate National Park on September 1, 2019. [Antony Gitonga/Standard

Six people have been confirmed dead following flash floods at the Hell's Gate National Park on Sunday evening.

Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Corporate Communication Director Paul Udoto confirmed the deaths on Monday morning adding that search and rescue efforts were underway.

"Six bodies have so far been recovered. One person among those missing is yet to be found," he said.

Kenya Red Cross officials assisting in rescue operation to recover bodies of seven victims who were swept away by flash floods in Hell’s Gate National Park, Naivasha. [Antony Gitonga/Standard]

A multi-agency team that includes police and officers from the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has been conducting the search and rescue operation since Sunday evening  when the incident occurred.

On Sunday night, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) confirmed having recovered two bodies while four others were sighted and recovered on Monday morning as the search and rescue efforts continued.

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Nakuru County Commander Stephen Matu said that there was a group of around 12 people who were visiting the gorge when the floods swept through at around 4pm on Sunday but some had been rescued.

In a statement to the newsrooms, KWS said they had closed the gorge to the public. KWS added that those swept away were five Kenyan tourists, one non-resident and a local tourist guide.

A helicopter was released from Nairobi Monday morning to help with the search and rescue operation.

Rift Valley Regional Police Commander Marcus Ochola said police officers and KWS personnel had been sent to the gorges for rescue and recovery.

“We believe the guides failed to read the weather in the area and surroundings properly hence the tragedy. They know such time it rains elsewhere before flash floods flow down there,” he said.

The Hell’s Gate, which lies south of Lake Naivasha, and which was once a tributary of a prehistoric lake experiences floods because of the gorges that lie downhill.

Officials say even when it has not rained water from neighbouring regions like Nakuru and Nyandarua Counties flow to the place in huge amounts causing surprises on the visitors there.

In 2012, eight members of a Nairobi church youth group were swept away by flash floods.