Three people were confirmed dead after a mudslide Saturday in northwestern China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, local government sources said Sunday.

The mudslide occurred at around 5:38 p.m. Saturday in Ke'erguti township of Hejing County, trapping 37 tourists, according to the information office of the government of Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture of Bayingolin, which holds jurisdiction over Hejing.

Rescuers have retrieved three bodies and saved the other 34 people.

The 37 tourists grouped voluntarily through the Internet. The township was located at a gorge 96 km to the northeast of the county seat of Hejing.