Updated at 9:45 a.m. BJT
The death toll rose from seven to nine with four more people still unaccounted for from Sunday's flash floods, according to Xinhua News Agency.
A total of 61 people have been rescued so far, rescuers at the scene said.
It's not immediately clear how many people were in the area when the incident happened.
Early reports suggest all missing tourists have been rescued.
Updated at 8:45 a.m. BJT
Seven people were confirmed dead in flash floods caused by heavy rain in a scenic area in central China's Hubei Province Sunday evening, local authorities said.
As of 1:30 a.m. on Monday, 51 missing tourists had been located. However, search and rescue operations will continue through Monday morning to rule out any other victims.
The flash floods swept through Duobi Gorge, Hefeng County, on Sunday at nightfall. Local police responded to the report of missing tourists shortly after, at around 6:40 p.m.
According to local media, Duobi Gorge is a relatively undeveloped scenic spot and is not fully open to the public yet. But some unlicensed local tour guides sometimes risk taking tourists into the area.
