A tourist bus was hit by a stone rolling off a mountain on July 11 in southwest China's Sichuan Province, eight people have been killed and 16 others injured. (Xinhua)

CHENGDU, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Eight people have died as a tourist bus lost control after being hit by a stone rolling off a mountain on Thursday in southwest China's Sichuan Province.

The accident happened around 2:05 p.m. on a road in the county of Songpan in Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture. The bus, carrying 30 people, slipped to the roadside grass after being hit.

Three people were killed initially. Rescuers found another four dead under the stone. One of the injured died in hospital, according to local authorities.

So far, eight people have been killed and 16 injured.