Nairobi, Oct 10 (IANS): At least 50 people died on Wednesday after a bus they were travelling in veered off the road and overturned in western Kenya, the police said.

The deceased passengers, who had been travelling from the capital Nairobi to Kisumu on the banks of Lake Victoria, included 31 men, 12 women and seven children, the BBC reported.

The police said that the death toll may rise, with the possibility of passengers trapped in the wreckage. The bus, which had a capacity for 67 passengers, hit a guardrail after the driver lost control and plunged off the road at a notorious accident blackspot, the Kenyan media said.

"My heartfelt condolences to the families of fellow Kenyans who lost their lives in a tragic road accident at Fort Ternan in Kericho County this morning and wish those in hospital a quick recovery," Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said on Twitter.

"As authorities investigate the cause of the accident with a view of taking action, I would like to remind drivers always to exercise caution to avoid such catastrophic incidents," he added.

Images from the scene of the crash show the vehicle upturned and missing its roof.