China Coal Mine Death Toll Rises To Six, 47 Missing

The Inner Mongolia region ordered inspections at all of its open-pit mines on Friday, after at least six people were killed in a landslide at a coal mine, with 47 others still missing.

The mine, operated by small local firm Xinjing Coal Mining, collapsed in an avalanche of rock on Wednesday, leaving workers buried under a pile of debris. Six people had been pulled out alive by 10:30pm on Thursday, state media reported.

The mine was buried under a pile of debris half a kilometre wide and an estimated 80 metre high, said broadcaster CCTV.

A second landslide halted rescue efforts, state media reported, with the risk of more collapses very high.

Around half of Inner Mongolia's coal mines are open-pit operations. It was unclear if the mines will continue operating during the safety inspections.

Three hundred rescue workers were using heavy machinery and rescue dogs in their search for the miners, state media said.

Li Zhongzeng, head of the town of Alxa League, said the rescue mission was difficult due to the threat of more landslides, and rescue plans include layered excavation and trapezoidal descending methods from both sides of the mountain, CCTV News said on Friday.

Data released by the nation's National Mining Safety Administration this month showed that the number of incidents at coal mines almost doubled in 2022 compared to 2021 and that the death toll reached a six-year high of 245, just after authorities called for higher coal output. (Reuters)