Five accidents across northern Chinese provinces of Gansu and Shanxi lifted the already catastrophic death toll.

 

As previously reported on International Longwall News, a mine explosion in China's northern Shanxi province left 18 people dead and another 15 missing.

 

China Daily said the mine collapsed on Tuesday when 34 miners were working underground. Over 70 rescue workers are still working at the accident site.

 

High gas density and the fact that the miners were scattered in different parts of the mine made the search and rescue difficult, Xinhua said.

 

The mine did not have an operating license and was shut down twice in May but the owner continued to operate illegally.

 

Earlier that day another coal mine accident in Shanxi's Shuozhou city killed six people and trapped eight.

 

Five other miners were killed in three separate coal mine accidents over the weekend in the northwest province of Gansu, Xinhua said.