HOHHOT, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from a flash flood that swept through a wild camping site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region has risen to nine, with three people still missing, local emergency authorities reported on Sunday.

The disaster struck around 10 p.m. Saturday in the upstream area of a river in Urad Rear Banner in Bayannur City, leaving 13 campers unaccounted for. As of 3:30 p.m. Sunday, one person had been rescued while nine others were confirmed dead. Three campers remain missing, according to the city's emergency management bureau.

More than 700 rescuers have been promptly dispatched to the site, urgently searching for the missing.

The Ministry of Emergency Management has deployed rescue efforts, demanding full-scale operations to locate the missing and sending a work team to guide operations. The ministry warned travelers during flood season to avoid undeveloped wilderness areas and exercise caution in geologically hazardous zones. ■