BEIJING - China's office of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters and the Ministry of Emergency Management (MEM) have dispatched a work team to Northwest China's Gansu province on Sunday to guide local relief efforts after a flash flood caused casualties.

The headquarters has activated a Level-IV flood prevention emergency response for the province, the MEM said.

The flash flood, triggered by sudden heavy rainfall, hit a scenic area in Weiyuan county, Dingxi city, on Sunday afternoon, leaving 10 people dead and 23 injured as of 6 pm.

Some tourists were camping in the scenic area and were trapped after the flood burst out, local authorities said.

A total of 305 rescue personnel with 68 vehicles from the national comprehensive fire and rescue teams are conducting rescue operations at the site, according to the MEM.

China has a four-tier emergency response system, with level I being the most severe response.