Miners alive after week

Beijing: Twelve workers who were left trapped underground after an explosion at a gold mine in eastern China a week ago are still alive, according to a note retrieved from the site, the official Xinhua news agency reported yesterday, citing local authorities.

Twentytwo workers were trapped in the Hushan mine, in Shandong province, after the blast last Monday. It was not until 30 hours later that the accident was reported, however.

Xinhua provided no further details on what the retrieved ‘‘paper slip’’ said, but added that rescuers also felt people pulling on iron ropes that had been lowered into the mine, which was still under construction. — Reuters