CRI听力: Rescue Continues After Heilongjiang's Coal Mine Blast

Northeast China's Heilongiang Province is reeling with the aftermath of Saturday's coal mine blast, which left at least 92 people dead and 16 others missing. Rescue operations remain in full force, but many challenges lie ahead. Shuang Feng has more.

Reporter:
Rescuers have been working around the clock in frigid cold to rescue miners trapped underground.

"I am very anxious, and I know what their relatives feel. As a rescuer, I will try my best to find them, no matter how hard and exhausting it is. Anyway, at least we can give their relatives a clear answer."(ww.hxen.net)

Ventilation and power have been restored in the mine, which is run by the state-owned Heilongjiang Longmei Mining Holding Group's subsidiary in Hegang City.

Three officials from the company operating the coal mine have so far been discharged.

Huang Yi is spokesman of the country's State Administration of Work Safety.

"The accident apparently reveals flaws in the operation assuring coal mine safety. Also, it uncovers that the company failed to implement measures to prevent a gas explosion. All the coal mine companies should learn a lesson from this serious accident, and they should always keep alert and never loosen their efforts in keeping work safety."

A total of 528 miners were working when the blast occurred, and 420 managed to escape the accident.

Rescue operations started immediately. About 310 rescue workers are still striving to locate about a dozen trapped miners, but many obstacles are standing in the way of relief efforts.

Shuang Feng, CRI news.