“Rescue efforts are still underway. The number of casualties is still being tallied,” CCTV reported, adding that nine people were still missing at the mine in Shanxi province. CNN reported
Earlier, state news agency Xinhua reported that carbon monoxide levels “exceeded limits” inside the Liushenyu coal mine in the city of Changzhi.
A team of 400 to 500 people were conducting underground rescue work, the Emergency Management Bureau of Qinyuan county, where the mine is located, told CNN. Province-level leaders have also arrived at the scene, it added.
Coal is a key source of energy in China, powering more than half of the nation’s energy consumption, despite efforts in recent years to wean off the fossil fuel.
