In central China's Hunan Province, sudden flooding has trapped at least seven miners in a coal mine in Xiangtan County. A deputy mine manager led 27 workers out safely, but the whereabouts of the remaining miners in the Yide pit is not known.

The flood happened 85 meters underground and the miners are believed to be trapped at a depth of 89 meters. Rescue work was launched shortly after midnight Tuesday, with several pumps working together to drain 12-hundred of tonnes of water an hour. Eight ambulances and dozens of medical workers are waiting to provide first-aid to survivors.