CHINA / Regional

11 killed in two colliery accidents in SW China
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-07-19 18:17

Rescuers has recovered 11 bodies of coal miners in two separate colliery accidents in southwest China's Guizhou Province, local government sources confirmed on Wednesday.

Six bodies has been found and 12 remain trapped in the flooded Pianpoyuan Coal Mine, Ziyun Miao Buyi Autonomous County, the rescue headquarters confirmed on Wednesday afternoon.

The flooding occurred at 11 p.m. last Saturday when 31 miners were working underground. Thirteen miners managed to escape.

Rescue operation is still going on, said the headquarters.

Pianpoyuan Coal Mine is a private coal producer with an annual production capacity of 30,000 tons.

At Zhaizi Village in Guizhou's Hezhang County, rescuers recovered all the bodies of five other miners in a gas explosion which occurred at 5:50 p.m. Tuesday in an illegal colliery, confirmed local authorities on Wednesday.

In addition, death toll in a colliery explosion in north China's Shanxi Province rose to 53 on Tuesday, with three remain trapped underground.