No fewer than 19 people have been confirmed dead and 14 others injured after a bus plunged into a ravine near a small town in Pakistan’s west, an official disclosed on Sunday.
The bus skidded off a slippery road very close to Danisar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province as it was en route to Quetta from Rawalpindi, local official Ejaz Jaffer told reporters on Monday morning.
Africa Today News, New York reports that Pakistan presently has a terrible road safety record, with frequent accidents due to poorly maintained routes and vehicles — as well as reckless driving.
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The death toll is expected to rise since many of those injured were in critical condition.
He said rescue workers were searching for survivors in the wreckage of the destroyed vehicle and surroundings that borders Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Shah said apparently the bus slid on the wet road amid heavy rain and the driver lost control of the vehicle, which fell about 200 feet (61 metres) into the ravine.
Rescue teams rushed to the scene soon after receiving information, Shah said, adding that the bodies had been taken to the hospital where the process to identify them was underway.
The medical superintendent of Civil Hospital Zhob, Dr Noorul Haq, said that the injured were in critical condition and the death toll could rise.
Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo expressed grief over the accident. He ordered an emergency be declared in Civil Hospital Zhob to ensure treatment for the injured.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also expressed sorrow over the tragic accident and offered his condolences and sympathies to the bereaved families of the deceased.
The premier directed the authorities concerned to provide immediate medical aid to the injured.
Deadly accidents are common in Pakistan owing to poor road infrastructure, disregard for traffic laws and poorly maintained vehicles.
At least 22 people died when a minibus plunged into a ravine in Balochistan last month.