Four people have been killed and five seriously injured in a crash involving six vehicles on a provincial road in Drenthe.

The accident happened on the N34 near Borger shortly before 9pm, closing the road in both directions for several hours.

Police have not yet commented on the cause of the crash, but photographs show the road littered with debris and at least two cars on their sides on the embankment.

Several ambulances and a helicopter were used to ferry the injured people to hospital.

According to one local media report, a car may have driven off the embankment onto the road but according to local paper Dagblad van het Noorden, police have now said that is unlikely.