NEW DELHI: A bus in northern India rolled nearly 150 metres down a gorge, killing 18 people and injuring 14, police said.

The accident occurred Friday nearly 310 kilometres north of New Delhi.

The cause was not immediately known.

Police officer Khajana Ram said seven injured people had been hospitalised at Solan, a town in Himachal Pradesh state, and some were seriously hurt. Many of the victims were students of local colleges.

India has the world's deadliest roads, with more than 110,000 people killed annually.

Most crashes are blamed on reckless driving, poorly maintained roads and aging vehicles.