Ten China miners found alive after flooding

BEIJING, July 14 (Reuters) Chinese rescue workers have found 10 miners trapped by flood waters alive, state media said today, offering a rare bit of good news in the world's deadliest coal-mining industry.

A rainstorm yesterday flooded the Jinli Coal Field in Inner Mongolia where 12 miners were working, Xinhua news agency said. Ten were found today afternoon.

''The structure of the mine is quite complicated and there are many lanes to protect themselves against danger,'' Xinhua said.

''As a result, the survival chances of the two missing people are quite large.'' Accidents occur almost daily in China's coal-mining industry. Last year nearly 6,000 miners died in 3,300 blasts, floods and other accidents, according to official figures.

Chinese miners are struggling to meet booming demand for coal, which provides about 70 per cent of the nation's energy.

REUTERS PKS DS1510