Death toll in Kenya bus accident continues to rise

At least 34 people died on Sunday night in central Kenya after a bus carrying passengers fell off a bridge.

The National Transport and Safety Authority NTSA, initially put the death toll at 33, saying operations of the bus company, Modern Coast Express Ltd, had been suspended.

The bus plunged some 40 metres into the Nithi River as it crossed a bridge known to be an accident-prone spot, some 50 kilometres from the town of Meru from where it had set off and heading for the port of Mombasa (south-east).

According to the latest report from Tharaka Nithi County, there were 45 people in the bus and the death toll has now risen to 34.

The accident is the latest in a series of deadly crashes in Kenya - and across the wider East African region - where roads are often narrow and police blame speeding drivers for crashes.

Between January and June, 1,912 people were killed, compared to 1,754 in the same period last year (+9%), according to the latest NTSA figures.