NEW DELHI (AP) -- An official says a crowded bus plunged into a river and killed at least 38 people in a mountainous region in northern India.

Sharab Negi, a district administrator, says 23 injured people, two of them in serious condition, have been rescued and taken to hospital.

The accident occurred near Kullu, a hill resort in Himachal Pradesh state, 340 miles (540 kilometers) north of New Delhi.

Rescuers found 38 bodies. Three people were feared to have been swept away by the water's strong current.

The accident's cause was not immediately known. The bus fell nearly 150 feet (60 meters) deep into the river, Negi said.

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.