Two bodies were retrieved from a flooded coal mine in north
China's Shanxi Province Tuesday, while rescuers are
still struggling to locate nine other trapped workers.
The two victims, natives of Sichuan Province, were identified as those who
went down into the shaft to evacuate nine other miners amid
upcoming flooding, according to the rescue headquarters.
Rescue work has been proceeding slowly as the mine shaft had
been badly damaged and at least 2,000 cubic meters of silt and
rocks blocked the way. Rescuers said there was a fire about 200
meters underground.
The headquarters plans to clear up mud and stones as of
Wednesday morning. Workers are busy preparing necessary
transportation and ventilation equipment.
The headquarters had warned that forecast rainfall and a
100-square-meter cave-in area in the pit would pose great
challenges to the rescue operation.
A flash flood swamped the Makulue colliery in Xingxian County
after a 30-minute rainstorm in which 45 millimeters of rain hit the
area on Sunday evening. The flood trapped nine miners working about
500 meters underground and another two who had entered the shaft to
tell the miners to escape.
The Makulue colliery is a licensed one with an annual production
capacity of 60,000 tons.
(Xinhua News Agency July 25, 2007)