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TWENTY secondary school students have been killed while swimming at in a river close to Kintampo waterfalls after trees crashed down on top of them during a storm on Sunday in Ghana.

“They were swimming in the river when there was a storm, a windy atmosphere that uprooted some of the trees and they fell on some of them — those who were apparently swimming,” said a spokesman of the tourist site.

The Mail reports that Kintampo waterfalls is a popular tourist destination in the Brong-Ahafo region of Ghana.

Billy Anaglate, Ghana National Fire Service spokesman, described the incident as an “unusual”.

According to Anaglate, 18 students died at the scene, two died in the hospital while 11 are 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 Catherine Abelema Afeku, country’s tourism minister,  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, The Mail notes.

— Mar 20, 2017 @ 1:48 GMT

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