An unfortunate incident took place at the Liushenyu coal mine in Changzhi city, trapping 247 miners underground, as reported by the official news agency, Xinhua.
Initially, on Saturday morning, it was reported that eight individuals had lost their lives, with 38 others still trapped beneath the surface.
The reasons behind the explosion are currently under investigation, Xinhua noted, while rescue operations continue relentlessly.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged for a comprehensive rescue operation for those missing and a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the accident, emphasizing accountability for those at fault, according to Xinhua.
Shanxi province, recognized as China’s primary coal mining region, was the site of this tragic event.
Larger than Greece and home to around 34 million people, Shanxi’s numerous miners extracted 1.17 billion tonnes of coal last year, contributing nearly a third of China’s total coal production.
