THE death toll from a rock burst at a coal mine in East China’s Shandong Province has risen to 19, as six more miners were confirmed dead, local authorities said yesterday.

Rescuers found one body Sunday morning and five more bodies Sunday night, the rescue headquarters said.

The accident occurred at Longyun Coal Mining Co. Ltd. in Yuncheng County on Oct. 20. A total of 22 people were trapped in a 74-meter-long tunnel after coal fell at both ends from the rock burst. One has been rescued.

Rescuers had cleared 55 meters of the tunnel as of 6 a.m. yesterday and were working on the remaining 19 meters to search for the last two miners who remained trapped.

Rock burst accidents are often caused by fractures in rocks due to mining.

(Xinhua)