YAOUNDE, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- The death toll in the train derailment in Cameroon has risen to 63, the country's national radio and television station CRTV reported on Saturday.
More than one day after the accident which happened around 12:30 Friday local time (11:30 GMT) in Eseka station in Central Region, about 120 kms southwest of capital Yaounde, eight more bodies were discovered from the derailed train cars.
CRTV earlier reported 55 peopled were killed and 575 injured.
The derailed train left Yaounde at around 10:30 a.m Friday for economic capital Douala.
The number of passengers on board doubled than usual, for the road from Yaounde-Douala was disconnected early Friday morning because a bridge collapsed over it in Manyai, a village about 68 kms to Yaounde, after heavy rain. Many passengers who planned to take bus had to choose train, which forced the railway authorities add more cars to the train.
According to reports, the train consisted of 20 cars, out of which 11 overturned in Eseka. The bodies of the deceased were taken to Eseka hospital while the injured ones were hospitalized in different hospitals and health centers nearby.
The rescuers are working on the site Saturday with the hope of finding more bodies. The authorities do not exclude the possibility that the death toll will rise further.
It is reported the authorities installed a temporary bridge to replace the collapsed one in Manyai after a night's work. The traffic is thus restored on Yaounde-Douala road, which is one of the most important roads for trade within Central Africa Economic and Monetary Community.
