A flood in a coal mine in northern China's Inner Mongolia region on Monday has killed one worker and left dozens of others trapped, the government and the mine's owner reported.
At least 31 miners were trapped in the mine after it flooded, mine owner Shenhua Group said in a statement.
The State Administration of Work Safety confirmed the toll, after earlier reporting that 44 miners were missing in the flooded mine shaft.
The incident occurred at the Luotuoshan Coal Mine in Wuhai City, about 1,000 kilometres (600 miles) west of Beijing.
An initial investigation showed that water began entering the mine as workers were digging, the company said.
China's coal mines are among the most dangerous in the world, with safety standards often ignored in the quest for profits and the drive to meet surging demand for coal — the source of about 70 percent of China's energy.
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