Two buses collided Monday afternoon on a national highway in northwest China's Shaanxi Province resulting in the deaths of seven people and injuries to 27, local government sources said Monday night.

The accident occurred around 4:30 PM at the Lantian County section of No. 312 national highway, about 40 km southeast of Xi'an, the provincial capital.

Five people died at the scene and another two while being taken to hospital, according to Xi'an City government sources.

The injured were taken to a local hospital for treatment. The two buses had 34 people on board when the accident happened.

Officials from Xi'an were on the scene quickly to handle the aftermath of the accident. An investigation is under way.

(Xinhua News Agency July 4, 2006)