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Eight people have been rescued and 21 remain trapped after a coalmine was flooded in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Saturday afternoon.
Authorities say the workers are trapped around 1,200 meters underground, adding that the underground environment is very complex and drainage is the foremost concern at present.
The flooding occurred when the coal mine was undergoing a technological upgrade, with 29 miners working underground at the time.
Rescuers say that experts from the Ministry of Emergency Management are guiding rescue efforts.
"We are still focusing on installing pipes down into the mine, and continuing to pump water out of the mine. All our work is guided and planned by professionals."
Rescuers have also tried to contact the trapped miners.
China has administered nearly 165 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines as of Saturday.
People 18-and-over make up the majority of the vaccine receivers.
Wu Zunyou is the chief epidemiologist with the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
He says the public should still continue to maintain social distancing and follow prevention measures, especially during the upcoming May Day holiday.
"We all would like to go out to enjoy the beauty of spring during the upcoming Labor Day holiday. But at the same time, we should not let our guard down about epidemic containment. Specifically, we should all avoid organizing or participating in mass gatherings and large meals during the holiday. Also, we should all observe the routinized anti-epidemic measures during our trips, such as wearing masks, keeping social distance, and washing hands. These measures must be maintained."
Meanwhile, health officials also encourage more people to get vaccinated against COVID-19 on a voluntary basis.
The Philippines yesterday received the second batch of Sinovac vaccine purchased from China.
The government aims to inoculate up to 70 million people this year to achieve herd immunity, starting with health care workers and the elderly.
With the arrival on Feb. 28 of the first batch of the vaccine donated by China, the Philippines kicked off its vaccination campaign on March 1.
Somalia yesterday received 200 thousand doses of Sinopharm vaccine donated by China.
The ministry of health says it's giving priority to frontline health workers, essential services providers, and the elderly.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has kicked off a two-day visit to Israel, with a meeting with Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz.
Austin reiterated America's commitment to protecting Israel's security in a joint statement with Gantz.
The visit comes amid indirect US talks on the renewal of the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and countries party to the deal.
Gantz says Israel will work closely with the United States to ensure that any new agreement with Iran will secure the vital interests of the world and prevent a dangerous arms race in the region.
NASA has chosen to reschedule its Ingenuity Mars Helicopter's first experimental flight on the Red Planet to no earlier than April 14.
The flight was originally scheduled for yesterday.
During a high-speed spin test of the rotors on Friday, the command sequence controlling the test ended early due to a "watchdog" timer expiration.
Ingenuity arrived on Mars on Feb. 18, attached to the belly of NASA's Perseverance rover.
The helicopter has a planned test flight duration of up to 30 Martian days.
