12 Trapped in China Coal Mine Flood

An official says a flood in a coal mine in southwestern China has trapped a dozen miners underground.

A staffer from the Guizhou provincial coal mine safety bureau confirmed that there had been a flood on Sunday morning at the Fuhong coal mine in the city of Guiyang. The staffer would only give his surname, Zhang, as is typical for officials.

Zhang says rescuers were at the mine, and the cause of the flood was under investigation.

The official Xinhua News Agency says one of the 12 miners was rescued Sunday afternoon, but Zhang could not immediately confirm this.

China’s coal mines are the world’s deadliest, with thousands of miners killed every year. The massive demand for coal induces many producers to cut corners and sidestep regulations.