13 killed in Zimbabwe accident

Police in Zimbabwe said Tuesday that 13 people were killed and 18 others seriously injured in a road accident involving a state-owned company bus and a truck along the Harare-Nyamapanda highway.

Ten people died on the spot when a Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (ZUPCO) bus coming from Malawi side swiped an international truck along the highway Monday night, while three others died on admission at a hospital in Harare, Xinhua quoted the police as saying.

Police urged drivers, particularly those travelling at night, to be alert and avoid speeding to safeguard lives.

The accident occurred days after 19 people died and 11 others were injured July 28 when a South African registered truck and a commuter bus headed for South Africa collided along the Masvingo- Beitbridge highway.

The narrow Harare-Beitbridge highway, which is a gateway to South Africa, the continent's second largest economy, has become a death trap over the years while most of Zimbabwe's road network is in bad shape due to years of neglect.