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Cameroonian president declares mourning day after train accident

Xinhua, October 23, 2016 Adjust font size:

Cameroonian President Paul Biya on Saturday decreed Oct. 24 will be a national mourning day for the victims of Friday's train derailment accident, which left more than 70 people killed.

The national flag will fly at half mast throughout the country as well as in Cameroon's diplomatic offices.

The president, who is abroad, also ordered the government to take all necessary measures to assist the victims and take investigations to determine the reason of the accident.

A passenger train traveling from Yaounde to economic city of Douala derailed around 12:30 Friday in Eseka station in Central Region, about 120 kms southwest of Yaounde.

The injured passengers are now taking free treatment in different hospitals, and the rescuers are still working on the site in a hope to find more victims from the derailed train cars.

The derailed train took double the passengers than usual, as the road from Yaounde-Douala was disconnected early Friday morning. Many passenger who planned to take bus had to choose train, which forced the railway authorities, Camrail, to add more cars to the train.

According to some reports, the train consisted of 20 cars, out of which, 11 overturned in Eseka. Enditem