A bus plunged into a valley in southwest China's Sichuan Province Saturday afternoon, killing 51 people, local authorities confirmed Saturday night.

The bus, going from Bazhong City of Sichuan to Ningbo City in the eastern Zhejiang Province, dived into a 100-meter-deep valley around 1:40 p.m. in the mountainous Nanjiang County, according to an unnamed local county official.

He said there were altogether 51 people aboard when the bus departed from Bazhong and chances were slim for survivals.

Local witnesses said they had heard an explosion and seen thick smoke after the accident occurred.

No survivals have been found so far.

Jiang Jufeng, governor of Sichuan, is en route to the site to supervise the rescue operation.

No other details are immediately available.

(Xinhua News Agency September 14, 2008)