Picture taken on Nov. 15, 2008 shows a neighborhood in Icelandic capital Reykjavik after an overnight snowfall. Iceland is one of the most heavily hurt countries in the worldwide financial crisis. (Xinhua/Guo Lei)

OSLO, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) -- Some Chinese tourists were injured in Iceland on Tuesday when a bus with about 40 people on board went off a snowy road, an official at the Chinese Embassy in Reykjavik said.

The accident took place at about 11:00 am (1100 GMT) on a road near the Thingvallavatn lake and some people on board were injured, including some Chinese citizens, the official, who required anonymity, told Xinhua via telephone.

All the injured people were sent to a hospital in Reykjavik, he said, adding that three of them were seriously injured.

According to Iceland's Visir online newspaper, both the driver and the tour guide were Icelanders and a total of 17 passengers were transported to the hospital.

Civil emergency plan was activated after the accident and a large number of ambulances and police and fire service cars were deployed, the report said.