![\"rapid-news-rapidnews-At-least-12-gold-miners-trapped-hundreds-of-metres-underground-in-China-mine-blast\"](\"https:\/\/dailyrapidnews.com\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/rapid-news-rapidnews-At-least-12-gold-miners-trapped-hundreds-of-metres-underground-in-China-mine-blast.jpg\")
“We are in urgent need of medicine, painkillers, medical tape, external anti-inflammatory drugs, and three people have high blood pressure,” the note read.<\/p>\nAt least 12 gold miners trapped hundreds of metres underground in\u00a0China\u00a0for more than a week have sent up a note warning some are injured, water surrounds them and they urgently need medicine.<\/p>\n
Twenty-two workers became trapped more than 600 metres from the mine’s entrance after a blast eight days ago at the mine near Qixia city in eastern Shandong province.<\/p>\n
After days without any signs of life, rescuers heard knocking sounds on Sunday afternoon as they drilled through the mine’s shaft.<\/p>\n
A note was sent up on a line from the depths below saying that at least a dozen of the miners were still alive, but pleading for help as their health and conditions deteriorate.<\/p>\n
“We are in urgent need of medicine, painkillers, medical tape, external anti-inflammatory drugs, and three people have high blood pressure,” the note read.<\/p>\n
The condition of the other ten workers is unknown.<\/p>\n
Four people were injured, according to the note which was crumpled, water-stained and scrawled in pencil on pages ripped out of a notebook.<\/p>\n
“We wish the rescuers won’t stop so that we can still have hope. Thank you,” the note read.<\/p>\n
The writer of the note asked rescuers to send down some medication from his car, and warned that there was a large amount of underground water where the miners are trapped.<\/p>\n
Footage from state broadcaster CCTV showed rescue workers cheering as the knocking sound was detected and later hurrying to read the note which was taped to a line sunk below via a pneumatic drill.<\/p>\n
Hopes and tears<\/strong><\/p>\n Footage showed rescuers sending a wire taped with food and drinks down a small opening to the miners.<\/p>\n Hopes of a miracle rescue after a days-long ordeal triggered an outpouring of sympathy and encouragement on Chinese social media.<\/p>\n The hashtag “Qixia gold mine incident” was viewed 130 million times on popular social media site Weibo.<\/p>\n “I saw the note while I was watching the morning news and burst into tears,” one Weibo user wrote.<\/p>\n “I hope they will rescue the trapped workers as soon as possible.”<\/p>\n Some rescue workers wore fur hats to keep off the cold while others appeared covered in dust and grime from the rescue operation.<\/p>\n Rescuers intend to drill multiple tunnels into the mine, to vent air as well as deliver supplies while work continues on bringing the miners back up to safety, CCTV said.<\/p>\n The explosion badly damaged the communications system and exit ladder from the mine, which is owned by the Shandong Wucailong Investment.<\/p>\n Two officials have already been sacked over the accident.<\/p>\n Mining accidents are common in China, where the industry has a poor safety record and regulations are often weakly enforced.<\/p>\n In December, 23 miners died after being trapped in a mine in the southwestern city of Chongqing — just months after 16 others died from carbon monoxide poisoning after being trapped underground at another coal mine in the city.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" At least 12 gold miners trapped hundreds of metres underground in\u00a0China\u00a0for more than a week<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1812,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1811","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world"],"yoast_head":"\n