Bus crash in Ethiopian mountains kills at least 31

An overcrowded bus has crashed in northern Ethiopia, killing at least 31 people and injuring dozens more, police have confirmed.

The bus veered off the road while travelling to the capital, Addis Ababa, early on Monday and plunged into a ravine approximately 100 metres (330 feet) deep. It had departed from the town of Dessie in the northern Amhara region of Ethiopia, whose roads are among the most dangerous in the world.

The crash happened on a zigzagging mountainous road known as Harego, which is surrounded by forests.

Images of the bus posted on social media show a severely damaged vehicle broken apart and lying by a hillside.

According to the Associated Press news agency, several people died because they received medical attention too late.

Poor infrastructure and a lack of ambulance services meant people were forced to make their own way to treatment centres, allowing their injuries to worsen, AP wrote.

Ethiopia is one of the worst countries in the world for road traffic accidents. The East African country has notoriously dangerous roads, which, according to official statistics, are only becoming even less safe.

Road traffic deaths more than doubled in the 12 years between 2007 and 2018. A United Nations report has concluded that a lack of traffic signage and road markings poses a significant safety risk.