Eight people feared dead after they are swept by flooded river in Makueni

Residents crossing river Ondhedhe in Rachuonyo North Sub-county, Homabay. [James Omoro, Standard]

Eight people are feared dead after they were swept away by flooded River Muooni while headed home at Mutyambua location, Mbitini, in Makueni.

According to an eyewitness, the eight were allegedly among a group of locals who had been invited to a meeting in Nairobi when the tragedy struck.

"They were swept away yesterday night on their way back from Nairobi. They had hired a school bus which dropped them at Kavuthu market, and were supposed to walk to their homes on the other side of the river," the eyewitness told The Standard on phone.

"They had almost crossed the raging river, but the water volume increased abruptly, and they were all swept away. We tried to rescue them, but failed," he added.

The Thursday evening and night downpours across Makueni County could have contributed to floods in most of the county's seasonal rivers, which the region's weatherman, Mr. Jonathan Ngayai had warned.

Three other people who also made an attempt to cross the river cheated death as local divers rescued them.

One woman is reported to have been seriously injured and is under home care at one of the surrounding homes awaiting treatment.