Two bodies were retrieved from a flooded coal mine in north China's Shanxi Province Tuesday, while rescuers are still struggling to locate nine other trapped workers.

The two victims, natives of Sichuan Province, were identified as those who went down into the shaft to evacuate nine other miners amid upcoming flooding, according to the rescue headquarters.

Rescue work has been proceeding slowly as the mine shaft had been badly damaged and at least 2,000 cubic meters of silt and rocks blocked the way. Rescuers said there was a fire about 200 meters underground.

The headquarters plans to clear up mud and stones as of Wednesday morning. Workers are busy preparing necessary transportation and ventilation equipment.

The headquarters had warned that forecast rainfall and a 100-square-meter cave-in area in the pit would pose great challenges to the rescue operation.

A flash flood swamped the Makulue colliery in Xingxian County after a 30-minute rainstorm in which 45 millimeters of rain hit the area on Sunday evening. The flood trapped nine miners working about 500 meters underground and another two who had entered the shaft to tell the miners to escape.

The Makulue colliery is a licensed one with an annual production capacity of 60,000 tons.

(Xinhua News Agency July 25, 2007)