Authorities in Ethiopia said on Monday that the death toll following a road accident in the country's south had risen to at least 71.

Wosenyeleh Simion, spokesperson for the Sidama regional government, told Reuters news agency that the dead included 68 men and three women. 

"Five are in a critical condition and taking treatment at Bona General Hospital," he said.

He added that many of the passengers were returning from a wedding ceremony and that some families had lost multiple members.

What else have authorities said?

The crash occurred in Sidama state — some 300 kilometers (180 miles) south of the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.

Local police said the truck left the road at about 5:30 p.m. local time (1430 GMT/UTC) and plunged into a river.

Wosenyeleh said the truck appeared to have missed a bridge crossing in an area with windy roads.

Ethiopia is among Africa's most populous countries and road accidents there are relatively common, according to UN data, amid weak laws on road safety.

The country reportedly sees 26.7 road deaths per 100,000 inhabitants recorded each year, while the UN says higher-income countries have an average of 8.3 road traffic deaths per 100,000 people.

kb/nm (AFP, Reuters)