This archive report was first published on 2 September 2019.
On Sunday evening, a devastating flash flood swept away six tourists and their guide at Hell's Gate National Park in Naivasha, Kenya, claiming their lives.
According to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), the incident occurred at approximately 4 pm during an excursion at the park's Ol-Jorowa gorge.
Heavy rainfall in the area is believed to have triggered the flash flood, which caught the group off guard.
As of Monday, KWS had recovered six bodies and was still searching for one missing tourist.
“Six bodies of the flash flood victims have been recovered, leaving one tourist missing. The search and rescue operation continues as we reach out to next of kin to share details of the sad incident and plan together next course of action,” KWS said in a statement.
Notably, this is not the first time flash floods have claimed lives at Hell's Gate. In 2012, seven members of a Nairobi Pentecostal Church of East Africa (PCEA) church group drowned in flash floods while exploring the same gorge.
Established in 1984, Hell's Gate National Park is home to three geothermal power stations and is a popular tourist destination.
