Rescuers Scramble To Free Chinese Miners Trapped Underground
Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published January 21, 2021 | 10:30 AM
Beijing, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Jan, 2021 ) :Chinese rescuers drilled deep into the ground Thursday in an increasingly desperate bid to save 21 miners now trapped for almost two weeks, with one confirmed dead and still no signs of life from over half of the missing workers, state media reported.
Twenty-two workers were entombed hundreds of metres underground at the Hushan mine near Qixia city in east China's Shandong province after a January 10 explosion sealed the entrance and cut off communications.
Contact has been established with one group of miners, although one, seriously injured in the initial explosion, was confirmed dead late Wednesday.
Another is believed to be trapped on his own, one hundred metres further down in rising waters, but his condition is unknown as he has not been directly reached by the rescue teams above.
The second group of 11 miners have also yet to be contacted, despite rescuers' efforts.
"They have also been lowering life detectors and nutrient solutions to other sections to locate the other missing miners but continued to receive no life signs," state news agency Xinhua reported.
Rescuers made contact on Sunday with a first group of 11 miners at a site around 580 metres (1,900 feet) below the surface.
Emergency responders have drilled two "lifeline" channels to deliver food and medicine and installed a telephone line while trying to widen a shaft to eventually allow the miners to be extracted.
The workers said they were trapped by "two underground explosions" in the mine but details are still being confirmed, reported China Daily Thursday.
There are plans for the widest of the shafts, about the size of a manhole cover, to be broadened enough to extract the miners once drilling is finished, CCTV said Wednesday.
The progress of the rescue has been slow because they are drilling through granite, officials have said, while the extraction could be further complicated by the water-logged state of the mine.
Rescue teams initially lost precious time as it took more than a day for the accident to be reported.
Both the local Communist Party secretary and the mayor have been sacked over the 30-hour delay and an official investigation is under way to determine the cause of the explosion.
Mining accidents are common in China, where the industry has a poor safety record and regulations are often weakly enforced.
In December, 23 workers died after being stuck underground in the southwestern city of Chongqing.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Bugti assures transporters for addressing their problems
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar meets foreign min ..
3 drug peddlers arrested, hashish recovered
1496,990 children given polio drops in five days: DC
Six terrorists killed, hideout busted in N Waziristan IBO: ISPR
Pakistan, Qatar agree to further expand trade, investment ties
Sindh cabinet approves Rs177.5m to strengthen, mobilize various wings of police
Faisal Karim Kundi takes oath as new KP Governor
Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq Chaudhry seeks more vibrant ..
Tahaffuz Manzil Foster Home providing care & support to homeless children
PCB proposes April 7 -May 20 window; tweaks in rules for HBL PSL 2025
Field hospitals now operational across Punjab: Azma Bukhari
More Stories From Miscellaneous
-
American band promotes intercultural harmony thru music fusions
18 hours ago -
Waste Management – A persistent challenge for MWMC
2 days ago -
Experts for ending child labour
4 days ago -
Labour Day - A reminder for better facilities to workers
4 days ago -
Stage Drama Mohabati Manhoon presents in Arts council Larkana
6 days ago -
Wheat farmers in a fix on price, procurement mechanism
7 days ago
-
Modern tools to help transform crime investigation procedures
7 days ago -
Sanam Marvi captivates audience with mesmerizing performance
8 days ago -
Modern Education Techniques: A pathway to achieve economic development
9 days ago -
Kite Flying: From cultural festival to deadly sport
9 days ago -
PDMA predicts gusty wind, rain with thunder, hails
12 days ago -
Iranian president Raisi given guard of honour at PM House
13 days ago