YICHANG - Six people were killed and another two were seriously injured after a minibus they took fell off a cliff in Central China's Hubei province on Saturday evening, local authorities said.

The accident happened at about 6:20 pm in Shimen village, Xingshan county, Yichang city, when the minibus plunged the 100-meter-deep cliff in heavy rain, according to the Yichang municipal fire-fighting department.

The six victims were female tea pickers. The driver and another tea picker were badly injured and are receiving treatment at a local hospital.

Firefighters arrived at the scene at about 7 pm in pickups instead of fire engines due to tough road conditions. They are still working at the site.