Mines to be inspected in 8 Hebei cities after deadly flood

Hebei province launched a campaign on Saturday to inspect mines in eight cities for safety, after an iron mine in Tangshan was flooded earlier this month, killing at least 14 miners, Hebei Daily reported on Monday.

The campaign will go until the end of October.

Four working teams were dispatched to the eight cities that are involved in mining, including Shijiazhuang and Chengde, the Department of Natural Resources of Hebei was quoted as saying in the report.

They will check all kinds of mines, including those with permits and closed mines. If problems are found, the administrative office of the department will be responsible for corrections.

The inspection will strengthen law enforcement's hand in curbing illegal mining and preventing accidents, a knowledgeable person in the department said.

Fourteen people were killed and one remains missing after the mine flooded in Taipingzhai town, Qianxi county in Tangshan, according to a statement released by Tangshan authorities on Saturday night.