Twenty-four people were confirmed dead in two mining accidents on opposite sides of China yesterday, as rescuers searched for one miner still missing.
The accidents occurred in southwestern China's Guizhou Province and in Heilongjiang Province in the northeast where unlicensed mines were ordered to shut down and safety checks were underway.
Ten people were confirmed dead yesterday following rescue work in a colliery flooding accident that occurred last Saturday in Guizhou's Tianzhu County.
According to Guizhou work safety officials, after more than 50 hours, three miners were rescued and the remains of 10 workers recovered. Each victim's family will get 200,000 yuan (US$24,660) in compensation and another 10,000 yuan for funerals.
The flooding took place in the Dahao Coal Mine in Tianzhu County, last Saturday, when 39 miners were underground. Twenty-six miners escaped, 13 were trapped.
An investigation was underway.
Meanwhile, in Heilongjiang Province, rescuers recovered the bodies of 14 miners, with one still missing in a coal mine fire that broke out on Sunday in Shuangyashan City. Burned cables were blamed.
The Jinyuan Coal Mine in Baoshan District caught fire when 31 miners were underground. Sixteen workers escaped, but another 15 were trapped.
(Xinhua)