LIMA, July 25 (Xinhua) -- At least 18 people died and 24 others were injured in a road accident in the central Peruvian region of Junin, according to local media La Republica on Friday.

The accident occurred when a double-decker bus from the Expreso Molina Lider Internacional company fell into an abyss on a central highway near the Talca district in Tarma province.

Members of the Tarma Fire Department, the National Police, and health personnel arrived to rescue the injured, several of whom were trapped between the twisted iron, according to the state-run TV Peru.

Those affected were transferred to the Felix Mayorca Hospital in Tarma. Police officers isolated the accident scene to facilitate rescue efforts.

An investigation is underway to determine the cause, although it is presumed that the vehicle was driven at an excessive speed. ■