Ten china miners found alive after flooding

BEIJING - Chinese rescue workers have found 10 miners trapped by flood waters alive, state media said on Friday, offering a rare bit of good news in the world's deadliest coal-mining industry.

A rainstorm on Thursday flooded the Jinli Coal Field in Inner Mongolia where 12 miners were working, Xinhua news agency said. Ten were found on Friday afternoon.

"The structure of the mine is quite complicated and there are many lanes to protect themselves against danger," Xinhua said.

"As a result, the survival chances of the two missing people are quite large."

Accidents occur almost daily in China's coal-mining industry. Last year nearly 6000 miners died in 3300 blasts, floods and other accidents, according to official figures.

Chinese miners are struggling to meet booming demand for coal, which provides about 70 per cent of the nation's energy.

- REUTERS