URUMQI -?At least 35 people died in a landslide in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region early on Wednesday, local authorities confirmed Thursday.

The rain-triggered landslide struck a mountain village in Yecheng county of Kashgar Prefecture not long after midnight burying houses and their occupants. By Thursday night, the death toll was confirmed at 35.

The rescue operation is still underway.

The village, deep of Kunlun Mountains, is about 170 km from the county seat. Heavy rain has damaged local roads and complicated the rescue efforts.

Kashgar is 1,500 km southwest of the regional capital of Urumqi.