China miners trapped underground

A coal mine flood in south western China trapped 21 miners underground, while a cave-in at another mine has killed at least three workers and left 19 others sealed off, officials said today.

Rescuers scrambled to reach the miners at the Niupeng coal mine in the county of Pingtang in Guizhou province today, according to a staff member from the Pingtang work safety bureau.

Rescuers are at the mine and the cause of the flood was under investigation.

In a separate coal mine accident, at least three miners died, leaving 19 others trapped when portion of the mine collapsed in the city of Heshan in China’s southern Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, said an official at the Heshan city work safety bureau.