Makini school pupils rescued after more than 10 hours of agony in Nairobi floods

Makini School bus was trapped for several hours following heavy rains in Nairobi. [Photo: Courtesy]

Nairobi, Kenya: Eleven Makini school pupils, who had been trapped in their bus in floods in South C area, were rescued after long agonising hours.

The pupils were stranded for over ten hours before they were rescued at 4.30 am Wednesday.

They were in a school bus being dropped home Tuesday evening when the vehicle was trapped in the waters near a mosque in South C.

The incident came a day after at least ten people were killed following heavy rains on Monday night in the city

Police said the pupils were forced to stand on their seats as they waited rescue teams from police, City County fire brigade, Kenya Red Cross and other officials.

Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet said no injury was reported but the pupils were traumatised at the time of their rescue.

“All the Makini children were finally rescued. Zero casualties. Many thanks to those who joined my officers in the operation,” said Boinnet in a tweet.

The students’ parents had been waiting a distance away as the rescuers made efforts to access the bus.

Witnesses said some parents kept weeping while waiting their loved ones to be rescued.

The rescue efforts were hampered by the heavy floods on the road where the bus was trapped.

The pupils were later rescued alongside three other adults and taken to Boma Hotel where their parents picked them up at dawn.

Most roads were affected by floods in the city for the second night forcing some motorists to spend long hours on the road. Some tweeted saying they had spent over eight hours.

Residents of major slums of Kibera, Mukuru and Mathare were also affected after being displaced.

According to the meteorological department, the rains are expected to continue for the next one month.

And following the flooding, most parts of Nairobi were plunged into darkness after a blackout.

Kenya Power said the areas affected include Muthangari, Njumbi Road, Mzima Sprigs, Convent Road, Amboseli Road, Riverside Court, Musa Gitau Road, Langata and South C, Nairobi West, Bomas of Kenya area, South C Estate, South B Estate, Parts of Industrial Area, Madaraka Estate and parts of Upperhill.