A fatal traffic accident killed nine people and injured 15 others in southwest China's Guizhou Province on Monday, said sources with the provincial administration of production safety.

The accident occurred at 5:50 PM on Monday in Sinan County when a bus with 49 passengers aboard overturned and dropped down 29 meters to the foot of a slope.

The bus was heading for Jiangmen City in south China's Guangdong Province from Sinan County when the accident took place,sources said.

Seven people were killed on the spot, and two others died laterin a local hospital. Three people were badly injured while another12 sustained minor injuries.

All the passengers are migrant rural workers who want to seek jobs in Guangdong Province, a southern economic powerhouse, the sources said.

(Xinhua News Agency February 21, 2006)