KABUL - The Death toll in the deadly road accident, which occurred in Afghanistan's western Herat province on Tuesday night, has reached 79, including women and children, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior Affairs Abdul Mateen Qani said Wednesday.

Among the victims, 19 are children, the official added.

Earlier, local officials in Herat city counted the dead bodies as high as 64, and three people were injured.

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The bloody road mishap took place after a passenger bus carrying Afghan returnees from Iran collided with a motorbike and a mini-truck on a road linking the neighboring Iran to Herat city in Afghanistan on Tuesday night.

Blaming reckless driving for the mishap, local officials said that since the ill-fated bus caught fire in the deadly accident, the majority of the dead bodies could not be recognized.