37 dead after bus falls into ravine in Southern Peru

At least 37 people were killed and 24 injured Wednesday when a bus plunged into a ravine after colliding with a truck in Peru, a regional Health Department official told AFP.

The accident in Arequipa, in southern Peru, is one of the worst in recent years in the South American nation.

It occurred in the early morning along a stretch of the Panamericana Sur highway that connects Peru with Chile.

"We have a figure of 37 fatalities," in addition to 24 injured, said Walther Oporto, the regional health manager of Arequipa.

The bus, operated by the Llamosas company, was heading from Chala, a town in Caraveli province, to Arequipa. It was carrying 60 passengers.

The vehicle fell into a ravine approximately 200 meters (650 feet) deep after colliding head-on with a pickup truck on a curve, according to local media reports that cited firefighters.

Traffic accidents are frequent in Peru due to excessive speed, poor road conditions, lack of signage and weak enforcement by authorities.