Zimbabwe bus and train collision kills 34

HARARE, Mar 6 (Reuters) At least 34 people died in Zimbabwe's capital Harare today when a commuter bus crashed into a cargo train at a rail crossing, police said.

Several other people were injured in the accident, which left bloodied and disfigured bodies strewn around a large swamp.

The bus, travelling from Harare's western Dzivarasekwa township to Mbare district in the south, was overloaded and its passengers included women vendors on their way to the city's main vegetable market to buy supplies, said a police spokesman.

''I saw the bus, and it appeared to be speeding and it couldn't stop as the train approached,'' said a witness.

The police -- who have recently been running a road safety awareness campaign after a recent spate of deadly accidents -- said they were investigating the crash, the worst in the country in six months.

A severe economic crisis, which many government critics blame on President Robert Mugabe's policies, has pushed inflation to about 1,600 percent -- the highest rate in the world -- and left many struggling to survive.

The rapidly rising cost of living has left many people unable to keep their vehicles in good condition, and experts say this has compromised safety on the roads.

REUTERS MS RAI1837