A collision between a bus and a lorry in central Morocco has killed at least 12 people and left one critically injured, the official MAP news agency reported on Wednesday.

The crash took place late on Tuesday near the town of Youssoufia, 37 kilometres (22 miles) north of Marrakesh, when the lorry driver lost control of his vehicle after one of its tyres got punctured.

The original death toll of 11 rose, when one of two critically injured victims died in hospital, the report said.

Police arrested the driver, who was lightly injured.

Morocco has a poor road safety record, with accidents claiming 4,000 or more lives each year, according to official figures.

A bus crash in southwestern Morocco earlier last month killed 16 people, among them several foreigners.