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Bus pile-up kills 37, injures 70 in central Peru

24 March 2015 02:36 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. At least 37 people were killed and 70 others injured in a collision involving three buses and a truck in central Peru on Monday, authorities said, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

The accident happened at 04:30 local time (0930 GMT) on the Pan American Highway near the city of Huarmey, Ancash Region, about 300 km north of the capital of Lima.

Orfiles Bravo, the head of highway police, told RPP radio that one of the buses belonging to the Murga Serrano line swerved into oncoming traffic on the Pan American Highway and was then hit by the truck and two other buses.

The Murga Serrano bus was split into two, he said.

Bodies were laid on the pavement and two helicopters and rescuers were on site, local television showed.

Six seriously injured were transported by helicopter to hospital in Lima, local authorities said.

According to the fire department, the local hospital in Huarmey is not big enough to accommodate so many injured and they had to convert other health centers in the area for the wounded.

Ana Jara, the head of the council of ministers, said on Twitter that more ambulances would be deployed to the crash site.

According to the World Health Organization, Peru's traffic accident death rates are at the highest level in the world. Over 1, 400 people were killed in road accidents in the first half of 2014.

Poor road and motor conditions, driving without license, drunk driving and over-speed driving are among the main reasons.