Shocked, traumatised and desperate survivors told of their despair on social media as blasts of gunfire filled the air.
Through various social media outlets, they narrated their ordeal cowered in terror under tables and locked toilets. Some were holed up in offices.
Daniel Kiragu, who witnessed the attack told the Star: “We heard explosions and everyone was running, running; some were jumping over fences. The gunmen even shot some people at the entrance of the hotel.”
Another survivor said: “Just survived a terror attack at Riverside. bodies everywhere. Bombs everywhere.” Ron Ng’eno, a public relations practitioner took to twitter and sent out an SOS minutes after the attack. “I am in 14 Riverside drive hiding in a bathroom and we are under attack.”
He continued: “There was a massive bomb blast then gunshots, please @USEmbassyKenya @IsraelEmergency HELP SOS.”
Ron added: “I am hiding in a bathroom room ......... terrorist are going from room to room HELP @AfricaMediaHub @nytimes @BBCWorld @BBCBreaking.”
As a parting shot, Ron prayed: “If I die I love the Lord and believe I will go to heaven. Please tell my family I love them, I love you Caleb, Mark and Carol.”
Fortunately by press time, Ron had been rescued by the General Service Unit.
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Another Kenyan tweeted: “Everyone please RT (retweet) this. We are stuck in the office in 14 Riverside. There has been a bomb and there are gunmen everywhere @PolicKE please send help.”
“@NationMediaGrp @KTNKenya @citizentvkenya @KenyaPolice @JBoinnet gunshots at 14 Riverside office park. Same compound with dusitD2 and Commission for Revenue Allocation. For the past 15min. Started with an explosion. We are lying on the floor in our offices can’t look out.”
A woman only identified as Daisy requested for prayers; “We are under attack. Please pray for us #Dusit #14Riverside .”
Another tweet read:“Just spoke to a friend who works at cellulant #Dusit #14Riverside they can only hear gunshots. They are in hiding. May God protect them”
Police told friends and relatives not to call anyone they believed was in dusitD2 in 14 Riverside Drive. “Send an SMS or WhatsApp them. A ringing phone could jeopardise their security.”