About 500 rescue personnel are racing to save 11 Chinese miners who are believed trapped inside a mine pit that caved in in Yunnan Province, China, last Saturday, local authorities revealed.

The miners were working in stannun mine located in Lianghe County of Dehong Prefecture in the province of Yunnan when the mine pit suddenly collapsed, provincial officials revealed.

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According to a statement released by the Lianghe County government's emergency response authorities, the cave-in occurred at aroud 1 p.m. following a heavy downpour that could have loosened the soil.

The 11 trapped miners were believed to be about 400 meters from the mining platform and rescuers were still trying to remove the sand and dirt to pull possible survivors.

"It happened so fast. We just heard a loud bang and then the mine collapsed," one witness told investigators.

Mine officials have not issued a statement regarding the incident and it was also not clear how many miners, aside from the 11 persons, were working on the mine when the incident occurred. The names of the trapped miners have also not been disclosed as authorities try to reach their families first.

Mine cave-in is not unusual in China especially during the rainy season when heavy downpour loosens soil.

On 22 July, at least two miners were confirmed dead when flood hit a coal mine in Heilongjian Province. At least 13 miners were also trapped and rescuers continue to work their way to reach possible survivors.

Authorities said the accident in the Xuxiang Colliery was triggered by mud-rock flow caused by days of heavy downpours in the province.

Last July 8, four miners were killed due to a coal and gas outburst at a coal mine in Shaanxi Province.

According to the Shaanxi Coal and Chemical Industry Group, the four miners were working underground at Sangshuping coal mine when the outburst took place.

TagsChina Mine Accident, China Mine, Mine Accident