A total of 97 people were punished last year after being held responsible for two deadly coal mine accidents and a major traffic accident in China, the State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS) said Wednesday.

Both of the fatal coal mine accidents were floodings, and both occurred in March 2010.

One of the coal mines was in Wuhai in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and the other in Wangjialing in central China's Shanxi Province.

The deadly traffic accident happened in May 2010 in Fuxin City in northeast China's Liaoning Province.

Thirteen of the 97 people were prosecuted. The remaining 84 received disciplinary punishments from either the Party or the government.

More than 30 lives were lost in each of the accidents.

(Xinhua News Agency January 20, 2011)