At least 19 people were killed and seven injured on Friday when a bus plunged off a cliff into a ravine in a remote area of the Amazon region in north-eastern Peru.

Rescuers are looking for survivors after the accident occurred near the city of Rodriguez de Mendoza, 850 kilometres northeast of the capital Lima.

Regional police official Carlos Mego confirmed the death toll and casualty numbers, saying it was not clear what caused the accident.

The bus was travelling between Chachapoyas city and Rodriguez de Mendoza when it plummeted into the ravine.

Road accidents in the Amazon and Andean regions of Peru are common due to winding and often difficult travel routes and poor vehicle maintenance.

Official statistics show that 1,124 people were killed and 2,583 others were injured in more than 1,100 road accidents across the country last year.

AFP