Five were killed and at least 24 others were injured, some of them seriously, when a lorry they were travelling in fell in a gorge in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh in the early hours today, police said.

The incident occurred on the ghat roads at Paccharla village under Mahanandi police station limits, they said.

The lorry was on its way towards Kurnool from Prakasam district when its driver seems to have lost control over the wheel resulting in the mishap, Kurnool district superintendent of police CH Srikant said.

Four persons were killed on the spot while another died on way to hospital, he said, adding as the lorry turned upside down; many of the persons travelling on top of the vehicle got trapped.

A police team is carrying out the rescue operation and further investigations were on, he said.