A total of seven people were killed and one injured in a traffic accident in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality on Thursday, local authorities said.

The accident occurred at about 3:20 p.m. when a car, driven by a man surnamed Xia, rear-ended a heavy semi-truck on a highway connecting the city's downtown area with Changshou District.

The injured individual is receiving treatment at a hospital and is not in life-threatening condition.

The cause of the accident is under investigation.