A collapse of an open-pit coalmine in Inner Mongolia, an autonomous region in the north of China, has resulted in the deaths of at least six people and the disappearance of dozens more.
On Wednesday, around 1 p.m. local time, one of the mine's walls gave way, burying workers beneath tons of rocks and sand. Five hours later, a second collapse occurred, stopping the rescue operation. On Thursday morning, the province-wide mobilization of fire engines, SUVs, bulldozers, and rescue dogs allowed the search to resume.
Residents of the area had been relocated to a neighboring town, and approximately 900 rescue workers authorized by the government were present at the scene. The "maintenance of social stability" and "all-out efforts in search and rescue" were urged by President Xi Jinping.
The disaster's cause was the subject of an investigation. The pile of fallen objects, as captured on drone footage suggested, measured approximately 500 meters in length.
Inner Mongolia Xinjing Coal Industry manages the mine. The business was fined last year for a number of safety violations, including unsafe storage of volatile materials and unsafe routes into and out of the mine. Two workers were discovered to be working in the mine without the appropriate certification in June 2022.
State media report that the company was also the subject of hundreds of lawsuits stemming from unpaid debts between 2014 and 2022. It has not yet released a statement regarding the catastrophe.
One of China's top three coal-producing regions is Inner Mongolia. It produces 90% of the country's coal, along with Shanxi and Shaanxi. In an effort to increase GDP and stockpile fuel reserves, the government has in recent years pressed for increased output from the sector. China's coal output increased by 9% from 2021 to last year, reaching a record 4.5 billion tonnes.
Accidents continue to happen, even as businesses try to cut costs and increase productivity. Ten people were killed and six were injured when a coal mine in the neighboring province of Gansu collapsed in July.
Some smaller mines that lacked the necessary safety equipment were forced to close as a result of the government's increased emphasis on safety regulation enforcement in recent years. According to official statistics, there were 356 mining accidents in 2021, down from 434 in 2020.
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