Dozens dead in Kenya road disaster

At least 48 people have been killed when a truck apparently lost control and ploughed into other vehicles and pedestrians at a busy junction in western Kenya, police said.

"So far we can confirm 48 dead and we are suspecting one or two are still trapped under the truck," local police commander Geoffrey Mayek told the AFP news agency after the Friday night accident on the highway between the towns of Kericho and Nakuru.

He said another 30 people had been seriously injured and rushed to various hospitals, warning that the toll could rise.

"We are suspecting a truck which was being driven. .. towards Kericho lost control and rammed into matatus (local minibuses) that were packed at a bus stop, running over those matatus and injuring passengers and pedestrians who were standing by the bus stop," Mayek said.

Collins Kipkoech, a senior doctor at Kericho County Hospital, said his facility had so far received 45 bodies while more victims were taken to other hospitals "and the rescue is still ongoing".

Images posted by local television stations showed the mangled wrecks of several vehicles at an area known as Londiani junction.

Heavy rains are hindering rescue operations, local media reports said.

"The truck was on high speed and it was hooting. It tried to avoid several vehicles before it came straight into the market," said one witness, Maureen Jepkoech.