Hunan Province is offering cash rewards to people who report illegal activities in its coal mining industry.

Cash rewards of up to 100,000 yuan (US$12,500) will be given to people who report on government officials who illegally own shares in coal mines, according to Hunan provincial regulations issued on Sunday. This follows the central government's crackdown on corruption in coal mining, an industry that kills more than 6,000 workers every year.

People who report illegal coal mine operations and coverups of fatal accidents and dangerous operations will get between 1,000 and 10,000 yuan.

Meanwhile, rescuers have still not found the 42 miners trapped in a colliery flood in Xin'an County, Henan Province, though the water in the shafts was almost pumped out, officials said yesterday.

By 4pm yesterday, rescuers had pumped more than 80,000 cubic meters of water out of the mine.