(AP)
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A coal mine flood in southwestern China trapped 21 miners underground, while a cave-in at another mine today killed at least three workers and left 19 others sealed off, officials said. Rescuers scrambled to reach the miners at the Niupeng coal mine in the county of Pingtang in Guizhou province this morning, according to a staffer from the Pingtang work safety bureau.
A spokeswoman confirmed rescuers were at the mine and the cause of the flood was under investigation, but did not have any details about the rescue. The official Xinhua News Agency said 29 miners were working in the mine when the flooding occurred and that eight made it out safely. In a separate coal mine accident also today, at least three miners died, leaving 19 others trapped when a portion of the mine collapsed in the city of Heshan in China's southern Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. China's coal mines are the world's deadliest. Thousands of miners are killed every year.
