Yaounde, Sep 4 (IANS): At least eight people were killed and over 50 others injured in a road accident in Cameroon on Wednesday, according to local police and witnesses.

Local police said the accident occurred after a speeding passenger bus failed its brakes as it was descending a steep hill in Dschang town of the region.

The bus had left the town of Foumban and was heading to the country's largest city Douala, Xinhua news agency reported.

Witnesses told Xinhua that some of the victims were students returning from holidays.

The cause of the accident is still under investigation.

Some 1500 people die in road accidents each year in the African nation, according to the country's Ministry of Transport.

In June, Cameroon launched a road safety and prevention campaign initiating tough road safety measures, including the deployment of additional traffic officers to curb rising road accidents in the country.

On February 23, at least eight people and 25 others were injured when a bus collided head on with another vehicle on a highway in Cameroon.

Road accidents are common in Cameroon often caused by reckless driving, poor state of vehicles and roads as well as overloading.