Thousands of Chinese miners die in accidents every year

Rescuers are pumping the water out of the mine in an effort to reach them, according to state news agency Xinhua.

In a separate incident, one miner was killed and at least 30 others were rescued after a gas leak at a mine in Datong city, Shanxi province.

China's mines are among the most dangerous in the world. More than 5,000 deaths are reported every year.

Beijing pledged earlier this year to close all small coal mines by 2007, in a bid to improve the industry's safety record.

But coal provides more than two-thirds of China's electricity, and production has been stepped up to meet demand.