NEW DELHI (AP) – An overcrowded bus drove off a bridge into a canal in central India on Tuesday, killing at least 40 people, an official said.
Six people have been rescued after the crash in Madhya Pradesh state, district magistrate Ravindra Kumar Choudhary said.
He said more than 46 people were on board the bus, designed for 34.
Rescuers found 40 bodies and searched for other passengers. The water supply to the canal was cut to aid the rescue effort.
The bus was traveling from Sidhi district to Satna district when the accident occurred. Officials are investigating the cause.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted his condolences to the families of the victims, calling the crash “horrific”.
Police say more than 110,000 people are killed annually in traffic accidents across India. Most accidents are attributed to reckless driving, poorly maintained roads and obsolete vehicles.