At least 36 people were killed and 13 others injured in an expressway accident in northwest China's Shaanxi Province Thursday night, local authorities said Friday morning.

The accident occurred at around 11:34 p.m. when a coach hit the wall of the Qinling tunnel of the Xi'an-Hanzhong Expressway, according to the public security department of Shaanxi.

The coach was en route to Luoyang City, central China's Henan Province, from Chengdu City, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province.

The injured have been rushed to the hospital.

Rescue work is underway.