China reports rise in coal mine deaths
(AP)
Updated: 2006-02-10 16:06

Nearly 6,000 people died in accidents in China's coal mines last year, with the proportion of those killed in major disasters rising sharply, the government reported Friday.

The total number of fatalities from 3,341 coal mine explosions, fires and floods was 5,986, nearly level with the 6,027 people killed in 2004, the National Development and Reform Commission said.

However, the number killed in major coal mine accidents jumped 60 percent to 3,586, it said.

The 0.7 percent decline in coal mine deaths last year fell far short of the government's goal of reducing coal mine fatalities by at least 3 percent.

Miners have been forced to increase production to meet surging demand from China's booming industries.

Coal output rose 7.9 percent in 2005 to 2.11 billion tons, the commission reported.