At least 20 persons were killed in the four traffic accidents in the first day of the week-long National Day Holiday, China's Ministry of Public Security reported on Saturday.

Four accidents which took place in Shanxi, Chongqing, Guizhou and Xinjiang respectively from 12:00 AM of Sept. 30 to 12:00 AM of Oct. 1 left 20 dead so far, according to a report on traffic situation in the first day of the holiday.

The accidents also injured at least 17 others, says the report.

A bus and a truck crashed in Changzhi City of west China's Shanxi Province Friday afternoon, killing four people and injuring nine. The truck driver escaped after the accident.

In another accident in Tongnan County of Chongqing Municipality in southwest China, two people were killed as a truck rushed to the footpath on Friday night. Another two died after they were sent to hospital and five people were seriously injured. The driver of the truck ran away after the accident.

The investigations into the four accidents are under way and the escaped drivers are wanted by the police.

(Xinhua News Agency October 2, 2005)