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Flash flood sweeps away tourists in Kenya national park

A number of people died and one tourist was missing after a tour group got swept away by a flash flood during heavy rains in a Kenyan national park.

The incident occurred at Hell’s Gate National Park, which is now closed.

The Kenya Wildlife Service said that six bodies had been recovered, leaving one tourist missing.

“It is with deep sorrow that we announce a tragedy in Hell’s Gate National Park in which an unknown number of tourists are feared to have drowned in flash floods while others survived.

“The search and rescue operation continues as we reach out to next of kin to share details of sad incident and plan together next course of action.

“The seven victims included five Kenyan tourists, a local guide and a non-resident foreigner.”

The Kenya tourism ministry is co-ordinating the government search and rescue operation.

The AFP news agency reported that the missing and dead were part of a 12-strong group visiting the park, about 60 miles north-west of the capital Nairobi.

A survivor from the group reportedly alerted park rangers after the incident took place, and a search party and helicopter were dispatched to the scene.

Hell’s Gate, named after a narrow break in its cliffs, was once the tributary of a prehistoric lake and its downhill gorges are prone to flooding.

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