At least 36 people died and 36 others were injured in east China when a packed coach with a flat tyre collided with a truck, authorities said Sunday.

有关部门周日表示，华东地区一辆满载大客车爆胎与一辆卡车相撞，造成至少36人死亡，36人受伤。

The bus was carrying 69 people -- its maximum capacity -- when it crossed into oncoming traffic and hit the freight truck on an expressway in eastern Jiangsu province on Saturday morning, the Yixing public security bureau said.

宜兴市公安局表示，周六上午，这辆公交车在江苏省东部高速公路上与一辆货车相撞，当时车上载有69名乘客，为最大载客量。

A preliminary investigation determined that the accident was caused by a flat tyre on the left front wheel of the bus, the bureau said in a statement.

该局在一份声明中说，初步调查确定事故是由于公交车左前轮爆胎造成的。

Nine people were seriously injured, 26 were slightly hurt and one was discharged from hospital.

9人重伤，26人轻伤，1人出院。

The Changchun-Shenzhen expressway reopened after eight hours of rescue work.

经过8个小时的救援工作，长深高速公路重新通车。

According to authorities 58,000 people were killed in accidents across the country in 2015 alone.

据有关部门统计，仅2015年，全国就有5.

8万人死于事故。

Violations of traffic laws were blamed for nearly 90 percent of accidents that caused deaths or injuries that year.

全年造成伤亡的事故中，近九成归类为违反交通法规。

【宜兴发生严重道路交通事故，至少36人死亡查看网站：[db:时间]】