India, Nov. 10 -- At least 11 people were killed and 48 injured in two chain collisions involving about 50 vehicles on Bulgaria's Trakia motorway near the city of Yambol on Tuesday morning, authorities said.

Prime Minister Rumen Radev gave the toll to reporters at the scene. The Yambol regional governor, Georgi Chalakov, had earlier told the national news agency BTA that at least 10 people had died and about 50 vehicles were involved. The count moved through the morning, from five dead in the first reports, and officials warned it could rise further as some of the injured were in critical condition.

The crashes happened on opposite carriageways: the first at kilometre 289 on the side heading to Burgas, reported at about 7:10 am, and the...