KATHMANDU (Reuters) - An overcrowded bus veered off a hilly road in west Nepal killing 25 people and injuring dozens on Thursday, police said.

The bus, packed with villagers, fell 200 meters (650 feet) into a river in Jajarkot, 250 km (220 miles) west of Kathmandu.

The injured were evacuated to a local hospital, police official Hari Bhakta said.

The cause of the incident was not immediately known.

Road crashes, which are common in Nepal, are blamed on poor road conditions and ill maintained vehicles.