Xinhua quoted local authorities said seven people were confirmed dead in a coal mine flooding in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region Sunday morning.

Mr Xiao Lei head of the Wuzhou City Work Safety Bureau said rescuers recovered all the bodies by 2:45 AM Sunday and relatives of each victims received CNY 300,000 in compensation.

He said that police had held the mine owner for investigation.

The flooding occurred at about 9 AM Friday in a township-owned Longneng Coal Mining Co, when 13 miners were working underground. Five managed to escape and one was rescued.

Work safety and police officials are investigating the cause of.

(Sourced from Xinhua)