Enlarge image
Front view of one of the two buses involved in the accident
Photo: CHEIKH DIENG / AFP
40 people died in a serious traffic accident in Senegal.
When two buses collided in Gniby, about halfway between the cities of Kaffrine and Touba in the center of the West African country, there were also 87 injuries, a spokesman for the fire brigade told the AFP news agency.
"It was a bad accident," said Colonel Cheikh Fall.
According to the information, it happened on the N1 trunk road at 3.15 a.m. local time (4.15 a.m. CET).
The injured were taken to hospitals.
The President of Senegal Macky Sall ordered a three-day national mourning on Sunday.
"I am deeply saddened," Sall wrote on Twitter on Sunday morning.
He expressed his condolences to the families of those affected.
Sall announced there should be a ministerial meeting to discuss road safety and adopt measures to protect people on the road.
Traffic accidents are common in Senegal.
According to experts, this is mainly due to bad roads and dilapidated vehicles.
Sunday's accident is one of the deadliest in recent years.
mgo/AFP/dpa