Fifteen dead, 10 missing in flood, after explosions in two Chinese mines

Fifteen people were confirmed dead in two mining accidents on opposite sides of China, the official Xinhua News Agency said Monday, as rescuers struggled to locate 10 others who were missing.

Nine of the deaths occurred in northern Heilongjiang province following an accident Sunday in which electrical cables triggered a fire, according to a preliminary investigation, Xinhua reported.

The agency said six miners at the Jinyuan coal mine were still missing.

In another incident, Xinhua said six miners died after water flooded the Dahao Coal Mine in southern Guizhou province on Saturday. Four were still missing, and three had been rescued, the agency said.

The cause of that accident was under investigation, reports the AP.