Passenger train derails at Kisumu Mamboleo flyover

A passenger train from Nairobi derailed on Saturday morning at Mamboleo flyover in Kisumu blocking a section of the Kisumu-Kakamega road. The train, a routine passenger service, which departed Nairobi on Friday night derailed at 7am. according to Kenya Railways. In a statement, Kenya Railways said that the derailment was caused by debris that were deposited at the railway line after heavy downpour. Also read: Section of Lang’ata Road to be closed on Sunday “The locomotive derailed blocking the Kakamega – Kisumu Road, this is due to heavy siltation at the point the Kakamega – Kisumu Road intersects the railway line. The siltation was as a result of the accumulation of waste due to poor drainage and dumping from a nearby road construction site which was washed off by heavy rains that occurred last night, and then settled on the road – railway line intersection,” Kenya Railways said. The corporation added that all passengers were evacuated and that there were no injuries and neither were any of the passenger coaches affected as only the train engine came off its rails. https://twitter.com/KenyaRailways_/status/1573571061479784449?s=20&t=Z6A6yYSTrXcU4EzpbvrThg The accident, which occurred a few kilometers to the Kisumu Railways Station, resulted in motorists being diverted to a nearby flyover which had been closed for ongoing construction works. Engineers from Kenya Railways were deployed to get the train back on track. Last year, hundreds of passengers aboard another Nairobi-Kisumu passenger train were left stranded for hours after it stalled in Muhoroni area. Also read: Are these 10 minors hardened criminals? The corporation said that the train had encountered a slight hitch occasioned by heavy rains that had earlier pounded the Muhoroni area. Kenya Railways Managing Director Philip Mainga blamed the mishap on heavy rains in Muhoroni, Miwani and Kibos areas, which he said, affected the captain's visibility of the track. "Some parts of the railway line were flooded and the visibility was bad, leading to one of the wheels of the coaches to derail,” said Mr Mainga. Also read: Riggy G: DP Gachagua acknowledges his popular nickname