A bus carrying 26 people fell into a 16-meter-deep reservoir on March 12. Sixteen people were killed on the spot. Six others died afterwards. The four survivors had been still in comas at press time.

A police investigation showed that the bus was carrying nine passengers over the limit. The police blamed the driver of the bus, who was among the dead, for the accident.

Local officials rushed to the site to coordinate relief work and help relatives of the victims.

(Xinhua 03/18/2001)