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5 killed, 19 injured in traffic pileup in SW China

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-08-09 19:24

KUNMING: Five were killed and 19 others injured in a traffic pileup in Southwest China's Yunnan province on Sunday, a local government spokesperson said.

A truck loaded with concrete hit the rear of a 31-seat tourist bus at 1:30 pm in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, the spokesperson said.

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The shuttle bus turned over and had a further collision with a passing mini-truck.

Five women were killed and four of the 19 injured are in critical condition, according to the spokesperson.

Tourists on board the bus were from Beijing and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the initial investigation suggests.

The site of the accident was near a forest park in Xishuangbanna, a popular tourist destination famous for its unique tropical forests.

The cause of the accident is under investigation.