At least seven people were confirmed trapped underground after a coal mine flooded in eastern China's Jiangxi Province Tuesday night.

The flooding accident occurred at around 11:30 PM on Tuesday at Hutangchong Coal Mine in Shangli County, trapping at least seven people underground.

Liu Jianping, party chief of Shangli County, told Xinhua Wednesday morning that rescue work was under way and the exact number of people trapped underground "remained unknown".

The coal mine is about 50 km from the county seat.

Details are yet to be available, and cause of the accident is being investigated.

(Xinhua News Agency August 26, 2009)