Thousands more mine dams unsafe, authorities say after Shanxi burst
The chances of finding any more survivors from Monday's mudslide in Shanxi province were almost zero, the minister for work safety admitted yesterday.
The disaster in Taosi township, triggered when a dam holding iron ore tailings at an illegal mine burst following heavy rain, is already known to have killed 151 people and injured 35.
As authorities pledged to continue searching for survivors and punish any wrongdoers, work safety authorities said more than half the 9,000-plus ponds holding mine tailings on the mainland did not have safety production licences and were in a dangerous state.
The mudslide rescue headquarters in Linfen attributed the disaster to illegal operations, lax monitoring and law enforcement, and a failure by local authorities to clean up the mining sector.
State councillor Ma Kai , who was sent to Taosi to supervise the rescue and investigation efforts, visited the injured and the rescuers yesterday, underscoring pledges by President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao to strive to search for survivors and impose tough penalties after a thorough investigation.
