News

DATE=8/7/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-236725 TITLE=KENYA BLAST UPDATE CQ (L/S) BYLINE=CAROL PINEAU DATELINE=NAIROBI CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: AT LEAST 66 PEOPLE ARE DEAD AND MORE THAN A THOUSAND WOUNDED IN THE BOMB BLASTS THAT OCCURRED NEAR U-S EMBASSIES IN NAIROBI AND DAR ES SALAAM. IN NAIROBI, WHICH SUFFERED THE GREATEST CASUALTIES, THE REPORTED DEATH TOLL STANDS AT ABOUT 60, BUT THAT FIGURE MAY RISE AS RESCUERS SEARCH THROUGH THE RUBBLE OF COLLAPSED BUILDINGS. KENYAN PRESIDENT, DANIEL ARAP MOI CONDEMNED THE ACTION AND DECLARED SATURDAY AN OFFICIAL DAY OF MOURNING. CAROL PINEAU REPORTS FROM OUR NAIROBI BUREAU. TEXT: THE BOMB LEFT DOWNTOWN NAIROBI LOOKING LIKE A WAR ZONE. THE EXPLOSION BLEW OUT WINDOWS AND MANGLED IRON SUPPORT BEAMS OF BOTH THE COOPERATIVE BANK BUILDING AND THE AMERICAN EMBASSY. //OPT// WORKERS STANDING ON TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN OF DEBRIS -- AS HIGH AS THREE STORIES -- DIRECT THOSE ON THE GROUND, WHILE CRANES, BULLDOZERS AND WINCHES HUM THROUGH THE NIGHT. A FEW PEOPLE HAVE BEEN PULLED OUT ALIVE, BUT HOPE DIMINISHES AS TIME GOES ON. EVERYWHERE ON THE GROUND IS A MIXTURE OF CRUSHED GLASS AND BLOOD. MANGLED, SMOLDERING SHELLS OF CARS ARE EVERYWHERE. //END OPT// NAIROBI'S HOSPITALS ARE FILLED FAR BEYOND CAPACITY. NAIROBI HOSPITAL, THE ONE CLOSEST TO THE BLAST, TOOK IN 400 VICTIMS, THOUGH IT HAS CAPACITY FOR ONLY 150. //OPT// ALL OFF-DUTY MEDICAL WORKERS HAVE BEEN TOLD TO REPORT TO WORK IMMEDIATELY. THE RED CROSS CALLED FOR BLOOD DONATIONS. AND PEOPLE LINED UP THROUGHOUT THE DAY. //END OPT// //OPT// OUTSIDE THE HOSPITAL, SEVERAL HUNDRED PEOPLE ANXIOUSLY SCANNED THE LISTS OF PATIENTS ADMITTED. RELATIVES WERE ONLY ALLOWED ENTRY INTO THE HOSPITAL IF THE STAFF NEEDED HELP IN IDENTIFYING A PATIENT. SOME OF THE PEOPLE WAITING AT THE HOSPITAL HAD THEMSELVES BEEN INJURED. WEARING BLOOD SOAKED CLOTHES, AND DAZED, SHELL-SHOCKED EXPRESSIONS, THEY WAITED FOR WORD OF THEIR FELLOW VICTIMS. //END OPT// OTIENO OSUR, CHIEF OF OPERATIONS FOR THE POLICE, SAYS THE BOMB WAS DEFINITELY AN ACT OF TERRORISM. SO FAR NO GROUP HAS CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY FOR EITHER THE EXPLOSION IN NAIROBI OR THE SIMILAR ONE THAT HIT THE AMERICAN EMBASSY IN DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA. THE TWO BLASTS OCCURRED AT AROUND THE SAME TIME. (SIGNED) NEB/CP/PCF/KL 07-Aug-98 2:43 PM EDT (1843 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .