Authorities in central China's Henan Province confirmed Saturday three miners had been killed and eight others trapped underground a flooded mine.

Rescuers retrieved three bodies Friday afternoon, more than four days after a flooding occurred at 12:40 a.m. Monday in three iron pits run by Shunda Mining Co. Ltd. in Biyang County, trapping 11 miners underground, the county government said.

Rescue efforts were rather slow as large water pumps could not be installed in the mine because of complicated geographical conditions, said the county government.

Location of the trapped miners remains unknown.

Wang Xinke, deputy county government chief in charge of work safety, has been removed from his post shortly after the flooding.