Local authorities ordered rescuers on Saturday to speed up efforts in their search for 29 miners trapped for five days in a deadly coal mine flood in south China while avoiding secondary disasters.

The rescue operation should speed up under the precondition of safety, ordered Guo Shengkun, the Communist Party chief of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and the regional chairman Ma Biao.

The flood occurred at 1:15 p.m. on Monday at the Nadu coal mine in Bose City, trapping 57 miners. A total of 21 miners escaped or were rescued, but 29 remain trapped. Seven other died and their bodies had been recovered.

The officials also demanded the rescue be conducted scientifically and safety hazards in the mine to be closely monitored to avoid occurrences of secondary disasters.

The rescue headquarters was planning to increase ventilation by drilling holes into the ground. In total, 26 excavators and bulldozers had been prepared for the rescue operation.

The mine has estimated reserves of 2.98 million tonnes of coal and can produce 190,000 tonnes annually. It is fully certified.

(Xinhua News Agency July 27, 2008)