Tragedy struck in Algeria's Tamanrasset province as a collision between a utility vehicle and a passenger bus claimed the lives of at least 34 people, with 12 others sustaining injuries.

The accident occurred on National Road 01 in the village of Outoul, located approximately 1,900km (1,180 miles) south of the capital city, Algiers.

Authorities swiftly responded to the incident after being alerted around 4:15 am (03:15 GMT) on Wednesday.

#BREAKING – #Algeria: 34 people were killed and 12 injured in a traffic accident in Tamanrasset, in the south of the country pic.twitter.com/xq9NBuCgka— Congratent Intel (@Congratent) July 19, 2023

The civil defence team confirmed the number of fatalities and ensured that the injured were promptly transported to nearby hospitals for medical treatment.

Videos circulated by local news outlets, including Info Trafic Algerie, depicted the aftermath of the collision, revealing the vehicles engulfed in flames.

The civil defence also shared photographs of the accident, showcasing the devastating extent of the destruction with both vehicles completely burned-out.