WUHAN - A bus overturned after its tire burst,injuring 34 passengers - eight critically - in central Hubei province early Thursday morning, local authorities said.

The accident happened at 3:50 am on a highway in the city of Jingzhou, as the tire burst caused the bus to veer off the road and flip over, said Xie Zhihua, vice head of Hubei Highway Police.

The bus was heading from Beijing to Zhangjiajie in Hunan province with 49 people, though it was only designed for 44 passengers, Xie said.

The injured passengers are receiving treatment at local hospitals.