HARBIN: Twenty-three miners were trapped underground after a flooding accident in wee hours Thursday in northeastern China's Heilongjiang Province, according to local coal mine safety supervisory authorities.

The accident occurred at 1:40 am Thursday when 24 miners were working underground at Xinyongfeng Coal Mine in Jixi city. One of the miners escaped from the shaft, with 23 others trapped underground.

Rescue work is under way, and preliminary investigation showed heavy rain was to blame for the accident, the authorities said.