Baringo: Passengers Cheat Death After Driver Of Pick-Up Attempted To Cross Flooded River

• Occupants of a pick-up in Baringo stared death in the eye after the vehicle was swept away while attempting to cross a seasonal river
• Onlookers warned the driver, but he ignored them and drove through the raging water
• Shortly after, the vehicle lost control and flipped over, landing upside down in the river

Passengers escaped death by a whisker after their vehicle was engulfed by the raging waters of a seasonal river in Kampi Nyasi, Baringo North.

A video by Baringo News captured the chilling moment the pick-up driver decided to cross the flooded river.

Pick-up lost control and overturned

From the onset, it was evident that the vehicle would struggle to navigate the treacherous crossing, but the driver thought otherwise.

He quickly regretted his perilous decision when it emerged that the force of the water was more unforgiving than the vehicle could handle.

Onlookers screamed as the pick-up surrendered and tipped over the bridge, landing upside down into the raging water.

Alerted by the imminent danger, quick-thinking locals sprang into action, executing a daring rescue operation.

Onlookers rescued occupants

The battle was arguably won because of the rescuers' familiarity with the seasonal river.

The stranded passengers were rescued in the nick of time through the community's heroic efforts.

Although shaken, the rescued individuals were reported to be safe, owing their lives to the bravery and swift response of the Kampi Nyasi residents.

This comes against the backdrop of the authorities urging the public to exercise extreme caution and to avoid crossing flooded waterways.

Boat capsizes in Baringo

The incident comes weeks after a boat ferrying 23 children to Kokwo for a church service at Revival Church capsized.

Baringo County Police Commander Julius Kerago stated that the boat was overloaded and thus could not withstand the powerful tides.

A woman by the name of Jane Lekikenyi lost her three children and her brother in the boat tragedy.

The four family members were reported to be among the seven individuals who lost their lives in the tragic accident.

As of Sunday, May 5, official statistics showed that the number of people killed by flooding and other impacts of the heavy rains had risen to 228.

Proofreading by Otukho Jackson, a multimedia journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke