VICTORIA FALLS, Zimbabwe - Eighteen people were injured, three of them seriously, when a passenger train they were traveling in from Victoria Falls to Bulawayo hit a herd of 15 elephants 13 kilometers outside the resort town Monday night.

The National Railways of Zimbabwe, a government company which runs the train, said the accident occurred between Masuie and Jafuta Sidings at about 7:20 p.m.

The company spokesman Fanuel Masikati told Xinhua reporter that the locomotive and three economy class coaches derailed, damaging about 200 meters of rail.

"Those who were seriously injured are two train drivers and a passenger. All the 18 injured persons were taken to Victoria Falls Hospital. Six elephants died in the accident," Masikati said.

He said the parastatal was in the process of arranging buses to transport passengers to their various destinations.

The accident would not disrupt rail traffic as repairs to the damaged track had commenced immediately after the evacuation of the injured.

"We are going to work tirelessly to restore the damaged track. Our breakdown unit is already on its way to the crash site. Traffic will not be disrupted," he said.

In August, another train accident occurred at Dibamombe, a few kilometers from where Monday's crash happened, claiming eight lives although some estimates put the death toll at more than 30.

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe's prime tourist destination, is 880 km west of the capital, Harare. It has abundant wildlife.