Media speaking to police and hospital workers raised an initial toll of 22, saying some passengers had died of their injuries after being taken to hospital.

Some media spoke of a total of 26 deaths.

Police said the bus was carrying nearly 50 people when it struck a truck hauling timber near the town of Descanso, 690 kilometers (430 miles) west of the state capital of Florianopolis, near Brazil's border with Argentina.

The cause of the accident, which occurred at 3:30 am (0630 GMT), was not immediately known.

The G1 news website quoted hospital workers saying the passengers were all family and friends returning from a bowling tournament.

Santa Catarina police did not immediately return calls seeking confirmation of the information.

The accident came as Brazilians take to the roads in large numbers for the Carnival celebrations.