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Dim hopes for rescuers searching China mudslide
Source: Reuters
By Ben Blanchard LINFEN, China Sept 10 (Reuters) - Rescuers in north China kept hunting on Wednesday for dozens of victims feared trapped under a deluge of mud after a reservoir for mine waste collapsed, killing more than 50 people. State media reported late on Tuesday that searchers had confirmed 56 dead after heavy rain triggered Monday's collapse of the holding pond at the Tashan mine in Shanxi province. But news reports and local officials have suggested the thick mud and sand that blanketed hundreds of metres could hold more dead, possibly a hundred or more. The Chinese government took extraordinary steps to ensure the nation was trouble-free throughout the Beijing Olympic Games in August. But this disaster, the first big accident since then, is a reminder that the country's mines often remain deadly places. By Wednesday morning the rain that had earlier hampered rescuers had eased. More than 1,100 police, firefighters and villagers have been hunting for survivors, according to state media. But hopes appeared dim of finding any more two days after the disaster. Many victims in Tashan are thought to have been migrant mine workers. Without their families nearby, it could be harder to identify the dead or even pin down exactly how many are missing. Officials have already blamed reckless mining in this polluted region that is scattered with small mines and smelters. "Our preliminary investigation found that this accident was caused by illegal enterprises who discharged waste sand into a mine tailings dam," work safety chief, Wang Dexue, said on state television on Tuesday. China's mining industry is the world's deadliest, killing nearly 3,800 people last year, as high demand for raw materials from a booming economy pushes managers to cut safety corners. Most victims are coal miners. But strong iron ore demand has encouraged miners to dig up even low-grade ore, often with little regard for safety or the environment. (Writing by Chris Buckley; Editing by Ken Wills and Alex Richardson)
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