Rescuers have poured hundreds of liters of milk into a
ventilation pipe to feed 69 miners who have been trapped in a
flooded central China coal pit for three days.
The miners used their helmets to catch the milk, their only food
since they were trapped in the flooded shaft at Zhijian colliery,
in Shanxian county, Henan Province, early on Sunday.
"They told me that they felt much better after drinking the
milk," said Shi Jichun, Vice Governor of Henan Province, after
talking by phone with the miners.
Rescuers poured 382 liters of milk through the 800-meter
ventilation pipe at around 9:00 PM on Monday, followed by another
167 liters on Tuesday morning.
They ruled out solid food for fear of blocking the pipe.
"The milk will help the miners keep their strength up, which is
comforting," Shi said.
Rescuers have pumped about 2,000 cubic meters of water out of
the mine and cleared about 100 cubic meters of mud from the
shaft.
"The rescue operation is now going smoothly," said Shi. But he
added, "Underground conditions are complicated. People at
headquarters have worked out a contingent emergency plan."
A cave-in under the mine at approximately 3 PM on Tuesday cut
off telephone contact between the ground crew and the trapped
miners. Communications workers managed to enter the shaft and
repaired the telephone line, resuming contact after a hiatus of two
hours.
"We are removing mud and pumping out water as quickly and
effectively as possible," Henan Governor Li Chengyu told the miners
by phone on Tuesday.
An estimated 4,000 cubic meters of water poured into the shaft
when a flood triggered by rainstorms swamped the mine at 8:40 AM on
Sunday.
The rescue team has commandeered six more pumps speed up the
pumping process.
Altogether 102 miners were working in the pit when the mineshaft
flooded. Only 33 managed to escape.
Hundreds of rescue workers, including armed police, are
struggling to prevent more water from entering the shaft, clearing
away the silt, and providing ventilation and oxygen to the trapped
miners.
Li Yizhong, Chief of the State Administration of Work Safety,
and Zhao Tiechui, Chief of the State Administration of Coal Mine
Safety, are also at the coal mine overseeing rescue efforts.
Li asked the local public security department to cooperate with
the mine managers in clearing away underground explosives to
prevent new accidents.
The state-owned mine was established in 1958. Designed to
produce 210,000 tons a year, its actual annual output is currently
300,000 tons.
(Xinhua News Agency August 1, 2007)
