Four people died in a landslide that buried a makeshift shelter near an iron ore mine compound in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, a local publicity official said Friday.

The accident happened at about 6:00 a.m. at the Daxigou Iron Ore Mine in Zuoshui County, a spokesman with the county's publicity department said.

Three people were already dead after they were retrieved while the other one died on the way to hospital.

Identities of the deceased are not confirmed yet, said the spokesman.

Initial survey indicated that thick surface earth, a steep slope and recent rains and snows had jointly triggered the landslide, the spokesman said.

A further investigation into the accident is under way.