All coal mines in east China's Jiangxi Province have been ordered to halt operation following three deadly accidents that left eight dead and 14 trapped.

Strict safety inspection must be carried out in all coal mines across the province, and operation could not be resumed until all safety problems are eliminated, according to an emergency circular issued by the provincial work safety and mining authorities on Thursday afternoon.

Fourteen miners remained trapped underground after the Zhayi colliery in Fengcheng County was flooded early Thursday morning. A total of 15 people were working underground when water gushed in and one worker managed to escape.

Four pumps working overnight have helped to lower the water level by 1.7 meters in the shaft. Nineteen workers entered the shaft Friday morning to search for the missing, who are estimated to be still alive, according to experts.

Officials from the State Administration of Work Safety have arrived at the site of the accident to supervise the investigation.

The township-level mine has an annual output of 30,000 tons and employed 40 people.

In another flooding accident on Tuesday in Gongnong mine of Yudu county, three workers were killed and 11 others survived.

Another five miners were killed in a gas explosion that ripped through a coal mine shaft in Fengcheng on Monday.

(Xinhua News Agency August 17, 2007)