At least 38 people have died after a ferry sank in Myanmar's Irrawaddy Delta region, the country's state media has said.

The New Light of Myanmar newspaper says the boat was carrying 80 people when it went down.

The cause of the sinking is not yet known.

The accident happened in the Yway river on Tuesday, but details have only just emerged.

The newspaper said the ferry was travelling from Pakeikkyi village to Myaungmya, about 150km west of Yangon, when the accident occurred.

The ferry went down in an area still recovering from a devastating cyclone in May which left more than 84,000 people dead.

With few roads in the region ferry travel is the only affordable means for most Irrawaddy delta residents to travel around the region or get their goods to market.