NO fewer than 20 students have been killed while swimming at a waterfall after trees crashed down on them during a storm in Ghana.
The 20 students were in a river close to Kintampo waterfalls in Ghana on Sunday.
Brewing storm caused trees to topple down on top of them in the freak accident.
Eighteen were pronounced dead at the scene, two more died in hospital and 11 were injured
Ghana National Fire Service spokesman Prince Billy Anaglate said the “unusual incident” happened on Sunday afternoon.
“They were swimming in the river when there was a storm, a windy atmosphere that had uprooted some of the trees and they had fallen on some of them – those who were apparently swimming,” Anaglate said.
He said 18 students died at the scene while two others died in hospital.
The spokesman said 11 more were receiving treatment, including one of the school administrators in charge of the trip.
“We extend our condolences to the families of the dead and pray for the injured,” said the country’s Tourism Minister Catherine Abelema Afeku in a statement.
Accidents ranging from deaths caused by mass flooding to petrol tanker explosions happen sporadically in Ghana because of lax regulations and disregard for rules.