Dozens killed in head-on bus crash in Zimbabwe
- Media reports said the morgue at the local hospital ran out of space, so a funeral parlour had to take in some of the corpses
At least 47 people were killed when two buses collided head-on in northeastern Zimbabwe, police confirmed late on Wednesday.
The accident took place near the town of Rusape on Wednesday evening, according to the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation.
“We confirm 47 people have died in a road traffic accident at the 166-kilometre peg along the Harare-Mutare highway,” police spokesman Paul Nyathi said. “We are still trying to ascertain what really caused the accident.”
The buses were travelling between the capital, Harare, and the town of Mutare, he said.
On Twitter, the state-run Herald newspaper said pictures from the scene were too graphic to post.
The paper said the morgue at the public hospital in Rusape had run out of space and sought help from a private funeral parlour to take in some of the corpses.
Like in many other African nations, road accidents are common in Zimbabwe due to poor quality and insufficient roadworthiness of vehicles.
In June last year, 43 people were killed in a bus crash in the north of the country, along the highway leading to neighbouring Zambia.
Deputy Transport Minister Fortune Chasi said the government will take steps to curb the road carnage.
“Totally needless loss of lives. This event should be the last before stern measures are taken,” he tweeted, promising to rein in public service vehicles and their owners.
Agence France-Presse, Tribune News Service
