Flood in Chinese coal mine traps 172

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
A flash flood triggered by heavy rains poured into a coal mine in eastern China, trapping 172 miners, a state news agency reported Saturday. There was no word on how many were believed to be still alive in the mine in the eastern province of Shandong. The flooding occurred at about 2:30 p.m. (0630 GMT) on Friday in the mine run by the Huayuan Mining Co. in the city of Xintai, the Xinhua News Agency said. Downpours hit the area Friday, punching a 50-meter-wide (175-foot-wide) breach in a flood dike on the Wen river, Xinhua said. It said the water poured into the coal mine through an old shaft.