At least 18 people were killed and 19 others injured in a road mishap in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh, local media reported.

The road accident occurred when a truck rammed into a stationary bus in Barabanki district.

The passengers, mostly migrants laborers, got off the double-decker bus after its axle shaft broke and were sleeping next to it when a truck crashed into it from behind. 

Most passengers were returning home to the eastern state of Bihar after working in the states of Punjab or Haryana. 

Some of the wounded sustained serious injuries, local media said, adding that rescuers are searching for several others who are trapped in the mangled bus.

"The district administration and the police have launched a probe and we are ensuring that the wounded receive the best medical treatment that's available," said police officer Satya Narayan Sabat.

(With input from Xinhua and AFP)