Authorities say six trapped miners were pulled from the worksite near Yuzhou City in China's central Henan province with only minor injuries and 38 others managed to escape unharmed, Xinhua, the state-run Chinese news agency, reported.

But 18 are still trapped, it said. More than 40 rescuers and six pumps were rushed to the site to pump out water and clear silt. An air fan was providing ventilation for the trapped miners, Xinhua reported.