Rescuers are racing against the time to reach the 24 miners trapped underground a flooded coal mine in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.

Li Zhanshu, governor of Heilongjiang, has ordered to speed up pumping water, work out a detailed rescue plan and store sufficient rescue materials.

Li has arrived at the scene with provincial coal industry and work safety officials to coordinate rescue efforts.

The accident took place at around 1:30 p.m., instead of earlier reported 5 p.m., Saturday at Hengxinyuan Mine in Jixi City, the municipal government said Sunday.

The mine has been approved to be shut down by the end of this year. It was not immediately known whether the trapped workers were in production or demolishing equipment.

In another deadly mine accident, an explosion at a coal mine in Linfen City of north China's Shanxi Province early Saturday has killed 17 and left 104 injured, including seven in serious condition.