Five killed, 15 injured in traffic accident

Five people were killed and 15 others injured when a truck collided with a tourist bus in eastern Lebanon Sunday, police said.

The accident occurred on the Dahr al-Baidar road in eastern Lebanon's Bekaa valley during light rain. The truck skidded and collided with the tourist bus before also overrunning five other cars, said a police official.

The truck's driver and four Lebanese passengers on the bus were instantly killed. The injured, most of them in serious condition, were taken to the Mayss hospital in Chtoura.

Police said the slippery road at the time was to blame for the accident. Traffic deaths have been on the rise in Lebanon in the past few years. Bad road conditions and unruly drivers have contributed to the rise.