Mombasa was on Sunday morning cut off from the mainland as the road to the city was closed by police at Kibarani, Changamwe.
Hundreds of motorists and pedestrians were stuck at Kibarani after a train carrying fuel derailed, spilling oil into the Indian Ocean. A heavy police contingent was deployed to keep motorists and pedestrians away from a section of the Makupa Causeway.
The train was carrying 250,000 litres of super petrol when it rolled at 11.35pm on Saturday, Mombasa County Police Commander Johnston Ipara said in a statement.
Seven wagons of the train are said to be submerged in the sea.
Some passengers heading to the Moi International Airport and those rushing to catch the early morning Madaraka Express to Nairobi were stuck at Shimanzi as police barred them from accessing the Makupa Causeway.
Motorists from Nairobi were advised to user the Kaloleni-Mavueni-Mtwapa route to get to Mombasa city and vice versa. Those from Magongo, Changamwe, Miritini, Mikindani, were forced to go back home or wait as police and firemen worked at the scene.
