Pakistan: At least 40 dead after bus falls into ravine in Balochistan; check details
Pakistan has a high rate of road deaths, blamed on badly maintained highways and reckless driving. The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that more than 27,000 people were killed on Pakistan's roads in 2018
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FollowA government official on Sunday (January 29) said that at least 40 people died when a bus plunged off a bridge in southwestern Pakistan and burst into flames. Speaking to reporters, Hamza Anjum, a senior official of Lasbela district in Balochistan province said, "The dead bodies are beyond recognition."
Anjum said three survivors had been rescued and the bus was reportedly carrying 48 passengers when it hit a pillar on the bridge and careened off course. Ramshackle highways, lax safety measures and reckless driving contribute to Pakistan's dire road safety record.
"DNA testing will be done for the identification of the deceased, while the injured passengers were being shifted to Civil Hospital, Lasbela," Hamza Anjum said.
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It is reportedly said that passenger buses are frequently crowded to capacity and seatbelts are not commonly worn, resulting in high death tolls from single vehicle accidents.
Earlier in November, at least 20 people were killed, including 11 children, when a minibus crashed into a water-logged ditch in southern Pakistan. Local official Fariduddin Mustafa told RFE/RL that 10 other people were injured in the accident.
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According to reports, the driver could not see the diversion sign on the road and so the van plunged into an 8-meter-deep ditch near the town of Sehwan Sharif.
Pakistan has a high rate of road deaths, blamed on badly maintained highways and reckless driving. The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that more than 27,000 people were killed on Pakistan's roads in 2018.
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