At least 34 people have died after an overcrowded bus plunged into a gorge in Kangra valley in India's northern Himachal Pradesh state on Friday. The accident occurred 131 miles from the state capital Shimla. Police and locals helped in the rescue efforts and the injured were admitted to a hospital in the nearby hill town of Dharamsala. Eyewitnesses said the bus was overcrowded, which could have led to the accident. India has a high annual road death toll, with accidents often caused by bad roads, overcrowding and poor vehicle maintenance.